"To stand by the locals"
Ásmundur Einar Daðason, Minister of Social Affairs and Children, states that there needs to be increased balance between rural areas and the capital region in housing matters and that there are examples of "housing shortages hindering job growth in rural areas. This is noted in his article in Morgunblaðið recently.
“In the autumn months, I initiated a pilot project on housing issues in rural areas with the Housing Financing Fund, the Regional Development Institute, and the Association of Icelandic Municipalities. This was done with the aim of finding ways to address the persistent stagnation in the housing market in many parts of the country.”
“The construction of residential housing in many parts of the country has not kept pace with the increasing population, just as in the capital region, and there are examples of housing shortages hindering job growth in rural areas.”
“It is important that job opportunities are utilized all around the country, but there are examples of housing shortages hindering further development. This shortage is due to the imbalance between building costs and market prices. It is vital that housing shortages do not prevent this and cause difficulties in attracting people to work. If this is the case, the government has a duty, in my opinion, to take action, and this has been repeatedly called for. With the actions that have been decided to tackle the housing crisis in rural areas, we are emphasizing the willingness of the state to support locals in the development of residential housing,” says Ásmundur Einar.
