The adjusted scheme was put into consultation last December. To better align the scheme with the needs of municipalities and corporations, several adjustments have been made.
Rooftop Projects Also Funded
In addition to flexible and transformation homes, rooftop projects are now also eligible for financial support from the SFT. Rooftopping, like transformation, has a complicated pre-phase because projects must be integrated into an existing environment. This requires more coordination and implementation capacity. Rooftopping, like the construction of flexible homes a few years ago, is also an innovative form of building that is not yet applied on a large scale. With this scheme, the government encourages the further development of rooftop construction in housing.
Contribution Almost Doubled
Many responses in the consultation round were about the contribution per home. This has now, partly due to calculations by Aedes, almost doubled: from € 7,800 to € 14,000 per home. Additionally, the 12-month timeframe for starting construction was found to be too short for many municipalities. In the new SFT, the requirement is that construction must start within 1.5 years. Furthermore, the maximum amount that can be awarded per municipality will be abolished, allowing municipalities with a large housing task to proceed without hindrance. Finally, the application window at RVO will remain open until the full amount of € 77.8 million has been spent. This encourages Mona Keijzer, Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning, to urge municipalities to make full use of the scheme.
Who is the SFT Intended For?
The scheme is intended for municipalities that want to develop more homes in a short period and thus contribute to solving the housing shortage. Flexible and transformation homes, as well as homes created by rooftop construction, are a good solution for this. The homes are often built in factories, allowing housing seekers to be helped to a house more quickly. The SFT assists municipalities in financing these homes.
More Information on the Conditions
Municipalities can submit an application starting Monday, February 3. More information about the scheme has been published in the Official Gazette. All conditions of the SFT can be found on the website of RVO. More information about the evaluation process is also available here. Additionally, RVO will hold a webinar on March 4 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM about the adjusted scheme. Note: this is the new date for the webinar that RVO previously announced for January 28.