While several candidates are making grand promises to the public about diverse housing options, the discussions behind closed doors tell a different story.

Plans were in motion to build cooperative apartments on municipal land on Villingardalsvegurin, but this project has been put on hold in favour of constructing private apartments. This is unacceptable, and we must push to stick to the original plan for cooperative apartments when the issue is raised at the next City Council meeting.

We urgently need more public and varied housing options. Apartment cooperatives are an essential part of this approach, and it makes sense to use the limited municipal land to start building them.

Yet, as soon as the project on Villingardalsvegurin encountered obstacles, the majority coalition in the City Council decided to make a U-turn rather than overcome the challenges. Although it’s true that we also need more privately-owned apartments for rent and sale, relying solely on private developers is not a sustainable solution to the housing shortage in the capital.

The municipality must take responsibility for providing a range of housing options to meet both current and future demand. Now is the perfect opportunity to take action and hold elected officials accountable to their promises.

Elsa Berg, Candidate for Tjóðveldi in the Tórshavn Municipal Election