Danielle Vernimmen, spokeswoman for the Flemish social tenant network VIVAS and an expert on social renting by experience, is skeptical of the new measures. “Totally stigmatizing. The social tenant is being knocked out again. This is a pure divide and conquer tactic. No social housing is being built, but the social tenants are stigmatised.”
Vernimmen is proud of its situation. “I am a proud social tenant but I would never have been where I would have been without the opportunities given to me. My son was able to study and is now working at the university, all because I finished well and went into social housing. But every Fleming and Belgian deserves the same chance as me.”
