EKYL: 50 million € needed annually for renovation grants in Estonia

30.05.2019

The Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations (EKYL) adopted a joint appeal to the Government of Estonia, to the Parliament of Estonia and to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications this week. The delegates of the Union Day of EKYL gathered 28.05.19 and found that the situation, where the renovation grants for apartment associations in 2019 ran out within two minutes (!) after opening the application call, cannot be considered acceptable, and the principles of the financial measure must be reviewed by the state authorities. Members of EKYL stressed that the 17,5 million euros planned for renovation grants for apartment associations in 2019 are not sufficient and at least 50 million euros are needed annually to cover the urgent need for renovation of energy inefficient multi-apartment housing stock in Estonia.

Fund KredEx, financial body offering grants for apartment associations and local authorities in Estonia, opened the application round for renovation grans 2019 on May 20 at 0:00. 17,5 million euros planned for renovation grants in 2019 were covered by applications in two minutes at 0:02. Applications for 40 million euros grant support were submitted before KredEx closed the call and stopped receiving applications in the morning. It means that many apartment associations who had spent 2-3 years for preparations to apply for the grant, did not get any chance to receive the support they need for renovating their housing stock, even if they were ready to submit their application in 3 minutes after the call was opened at midnight.

EKYL makes two propositions to the Government, to the Parliament and to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications:

1. To increase the annual financial support for renovation grants for apartment associations to 50 million euros;
2. To accept all the applications submitted in this call of applications for renovation grants by covering 17,5 million euros from the planned budget for 2019 and 22,5 million euros from the planned budget for 2020.

EKYL reminds that good indoor climate, healthy living conditions and smaller energy bills are values that must be handled responsibly. Apartment associations in Estonia are showing readiness for making investments into energy efficient and sustainable housing stock with the help of renovation grants. According to the Union, it can be considered unfair to punish them with short-sighted financial measures.

Contact:

Andres Jaadla
Chairman of EKYL
andres.jaadla@ekyl.ee