The city of Brussels is the first municipality in the Brussels Region to successfully impose the forced sale of a vacant building under the Brussels Housing Code.
The building in question has been vacant for more than ten years in the Rue de Bon Secours, near the new pedestrian zone, according to Brussels Alderman for Urbanism Ans Persoons in a press release.
The forced public sale is the final measure in a long process which began with a 'vacancy fine' being imposed on the owner.
This fine was systematically not paid and so the city launched legal proceedings in 2011 asking the court to oblige owners to relocate their premises to the rental market. Despite a conviction, the building remained uninhabited for the past ten years. The forced sale procedure was signed last week.
"We want to make it clear that the city is serious about its fight against vacancy," says Persoons. “We cannot afford to leave properties in the heart of Brussels empty for a long time, while many Brussels residents are looking for a home. "
The City of Brussels maintains a list of all vacant, unfinished and neglected buildings in its territory.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
