It is well to be noted that the Grant Agreement for Sustainable and Affordable Housing for the New Green Industry and Society- SHERIS project, which is going to support the construction of seven housing complexes across Northern Sweden, has just been inked.
SHERIS happens to be financed by the EU under the aegis of the Public Sector Loan Facility, which happens to be a part of the Just Transition Mechanism- JTM with a grant of EUR 11 million. The grant goes on to complement a loan of EUR 71 million, which is equivalent to SEK 800 million awarded by the European Investment Bank- EIB, thereby bringing the overall budget for the project to EUR 142 million, or SEK 1.6 billion.
The JTM PSLF support will go on to facilitate the social transformation as well as the urban development of Skelleftea required to adapt to the new green industry emergence by way of supporting the construction of seven housing complexes with almost 750 energy-efficient social housing units.
According to the Director at the European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Emma Toledano, the Public Sector Loan Facility, will go on to help the municipality of Skellefteå address the rising demand of its fast-growing population for sustainable as well as affordable housing, thereby helping the city respond to its transformation needs. This inspiring project goes on to prove that the issues that are derived from the green transition can indeed be addressed, and that EU funding is available so as to ensure that nobody and no region happens to be left behind.
As Vasterbotten happens to be shifting from mining as well as energy intensive sectors to the green economy, the municipality of Skelleftea goes on to find itself at the forefront of the green transition in the region. Due to the establishment of Northvolt, the battery giga factory, which needs a new and skilled workforce, the municipality’s population is all set to rise from 74000 at present to more than 90000 by the 2030 end.
As per CINEA Director, Paloma Aba Garrote, CINEA is indeed proud to be supporting the green transformation of Skelleftea by way of the construction of sustainable, affordable, and inclusive social housing for the municipality’s fast-growing population. The Public Sector Loan Facility, under the aegis of the Just Transition Mechanism, happens to be exactly there to make sure that the shift to the green sector is fair to all EU citizens.
It is worth noting that almost 50% of the affordable housing program is going to target students on the Skelleftea University campus to support supply when it comes to new skills within the ongoing social as well as economic shift. Apart from this, almost 20% of the new housing is going to be made available in terms of social lease contracts, which will go on to offer people with low incomes or special needs, as well as refugees, accommodation so as to promote the development of inclusive communities.
As per Lorents Burman, the chairman of the Municipal Board at Skelleftea Kommun, Skelleftea social transformation happens to be a challenge and, at the same time, the driver of the green transition. Apparently, the PSLF grant from the European Commission as well as the loan from the European Investment Bank are going to help maintain a high pace when it comes to the production of new housing, which is a major factor in terms of making transition a reality. By way of offering energy-efficient living areas, not just in the central parts of Skelleftea but as well as beyond, the projects sync with the new environmental as well as climate programs and also the mission of making Skelleftea climate neutral by the end of the decade.
