Oslo has bought housing to a value of 514 million kroner so far this year.
The municipality has purchased 154 properties, mainly west of Oslo, writes the Finance newspaper. The housing budget is 885 million kroner for 2016.
– It is not a goal to concentrate housing stock in some parts of the city. Therefore, we have a particular focus on buying homes in areas where historically there has been less community housing, says commissioner Geir Lippestad.
One of the reasons so many homes are being bought is that the municipality intends to settle thousands of refugees there during the year.
– All municipalities have had an increase in their efforts to settle refugees, this is also the case in Oslo, says Lippestad.
Magnus Thun in the purchasing team for Oslo said that many wonder what the houses will be used for and whether it is refugees who are moving into them.
– We have experienced that the Board of condominiums have tried to stop the purchases, and found that they do not have the ability to do this, said Thun.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
