Brussels

1. Brussels is home to the world's largest comic strip mural collection, with over 50 murals scattered throughout the city, showcasing the rich history of comic art in Belgium, particularly the famous "Tintin" series. 2. The Atomium, a unique building and museum in Brussels, was originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair and is designed to resemble an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. It offers panoramic views of the city from its spheres. 3. Brussels has a vibrant underground music scene, with many hidden venues and events that feature a range of genres from electronic to jazz, often showcasing local and emerging artists who may not get mainstream attention.

In Brussels, the housing market remains highly pressured, with 60% of residents renting their homes while only about 38% are owner-occupiers. Renting is especially prevalent due to high property prices and the city’s large population of international officials and expats. The median price to buy an apartment in Brussels is approximately €267,000, with purchasing costs ranging from about €4,000 to €5,500 per square meter depending on location and property type. For rentals, the median price per square meter for an apartment is around €16, though this can be higher in central areas. Publicly owned housing (and social housing) plays a relatively small role, accounting for just about 7% of the total housing stock. In Brussels, public housing and social housing are generally seen as synonymous, both providing accommodation at below-market rates for qualifying lower-income households. However, the sector is underdeveloped by European standards, and most rental properties are privately owned, with small-scale private landlords being predominant. The ongoing lack of affordable housing and high housing costs remain key challenges for many households in the city.

Brussels is experiencing a severe housing crisis characterized by a persistent mismatch between supply and demand. The city’s population has grown, driven both by young professionals and a large influx of international officials and expats, but the expansion of new housing has lagged far behind rising demand. Land for development is scarce, and construction costs continue to rise, further limiting the creation of new homes. As a result, housing prices and rents continue to climb, with projections indicating ongoing increases. The crisis is not limited to the lowest-income residents. While tens of thousands wait for social or public housing—waiting lists sometimes stretch up to a decade—even middle-income and essential workers increasingly struggle to find affordable accommodation. Homelessness has doubled in the past decade, and around 41,000 people are waiting for low-income housing. Up to 30% of residents spend more than 40% of their income on housing, underscoring widespread affordability stress. Younger buyers, in particular, are increasingly priced out, often forced to look for property outside Brussels. Meanwhile, expats with higher incomes and favorable tax regimes contribute to competition for the limited supply. The effects touch nearly all demographics: families, single-parent households, young adults, essential workers, and the growing homeless population. This broad impact has sparked protests and demands for political solutions, as the crisis puts even the constitutional right to housing out of reach for many.

The Brussels city administration has prioritized affordable and sustainable housing, particularly as the sector faces acute challenges from rising costs and supply shortages. In early 2024, Brussels led a pan-European urban declaration that placed the right to affordable, qualitative, and sustainable housing at the forefront of policy for the coming EU mandate. The city’s leadership advocates for more direct public investment, regulatory reforms to require affordable housing within new developments, and partnerships with non-governmental organizations. Brussels is advancing several concrete activities and programs. The Community Land Trust Brussels (CLTB) is a flagship local initiative enabling long-term, below-market housing for economically vulnerable groups. CLTB owns land but allows residents to own their homes, keeping prices affordable and promoting community participation. The city also encourages the conversion of vacant or underutilized office spaces into residential units and supports flexible urban planning to boost housing supply. Recent communicated targets include promoting mixed-use and sustainable redevelopment, incentivizing circular building techniques, and supporting energy-efficient renovations, partly through EU-backed renovation wave initiatives. The administration also calls for stricter regulation on short-term rentals to ease pressure on the local housing market and seeks frameworks to repurpose vacant properties. Digitalization is being leveraged to optimize construction planning and management, while social economy entities are integrated into housing provision, ensuring community-oriented, sustainable solutions. Brussels is seeking EU and private investment to rapidly scale the supply of affordable housing, including through innovative models like the CLTB and sustainable renovation programs targeting long-term resilience and inclusivity.

Housing cooperatives in Brussels are emerging as an alternative between private rental and individual ownership, aiming to provide affordable, non-speculative, and community-focused housing. Although historically present—most notably through early 20th-century garden cities—cooperative housing remains marginal in terms of share: there are no precise public figures, but estimates suggest its proportion is still very small compared to the overall housing stock. Recent years have seen renewed interest and dynamism, with several new cooperatives forming, such as COBHA and Fair Ground Brussels. These initiatives focus on mixed, sustainable, and inclusive living models, prioritizing accessibility for people unable to buy on the classic market. They emphasize democratic management, collective governance, and community participation, ensuring that rent payments serve the upkeep of buildings rather than private profit. Brussels’ city administration actively supports cooperative housing, viewing it as a key tool to combat speculation and increase affordable options. Programs include calls for pilot projects, workshops connecting stakeholders, and leveraging publicly owned land to facilitate cooperative projects. Partnerships such as the Community Land Trust Brussels and the use of social and circular economy approaches are also central. Policy recommendations and ongoing campaigns advocate for a regional action plan to embed cooperative models more firmly as a “third way” in housing, complementing public and private provision and aiming for long-term affordability and resilience.