Record number of dwellings completed in Espoo in 2022
In 2022, a new record of 5,625 dwellings were completed in Espoo. This is more than ever before and more than a year ago (5,465 dwellings).
New housing starts amounted to 3,983 dwellings, which is clearly down on the previous two years, when over 6,000 dwellings were started per year.
The number of building permits granted for 5,060 new dwellings also fell compared with the previous two years.
“Although the number of housing starts fell by one third, the number of housing starts was still well above the target. The number of starts varied widely from month to month. However, the number of housing starts in the first half of the year was almost double the number in the second half of the year,” says Housing Manager Anne Savolainen.
The number of completed dwellings clearly exceeded Espoo's annual housing target (3,300 dwellings). House-building targets are defined in the MAL agreement on land use, housing and transport between the state and municipalities. The current MAL agreement runs from 2020 to 2031. Espoo is part of the Helsinki Region MAL agreement with 14 other municipalities
Of the dwellings completed, 1,025 were single-family houses, three quarters of which were detached. Of the dwellings started, 732 were single-family houses. Two thirds of the completed non-subsidised blocks of flats were located in whole-house rentals.
“Espoo's Building Control has granted by far the most building permits for detached and semi-detached houses in Finland. Around one in ten detached or semi-detached houses is built in Espoo,” says Pasi Timo, Director of the Environment and Building Control Department.
Most of the dwellings along railway lines
Most of the new dwellings were completed in Niittykumpu, Perkkaa, Suvela, Espoonlahti Centre and Finnoo. Most new housing starts were made in Finnoo, Suurpelto and Niittykumpu.
State-subsidised rental and right-of-occupancy housing
954 ARA rental apartments were completed, which exceeded the target (660). More than half of the ARA rental apartments completed were in Espoo Asunnot Oy's properties. There were 188 apartments with right of occupancy and 61 with short interest subsidies. In addition, Espoo's first part-ownership project (91 apartments) was completed in Suurpelto with a loan against a personal guarantee.
A total of 512 ARA rental apartments were started. Of these, 300 were apartments owned by Espoo Asunnot Oy. 88 ARA rental apartments with right of occupancy were started and 46 with short interest subsidies.
- Urban development