Biznes Fakty
„The needs of local Poland are different.” The minister defends the amendments to the law.
Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz discusses the Senate amendments to the Housing Act
„Lately, I have frequently addressed the specific needs of local Poland, emphasizing that they diverge significantly from those of Warsaw. As someone who resides in Warsaw and takes pride in being a citizen of this city, I feel that replicating Warsaw’s solutions for local Poland is entirely misguided,” stated Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy (Poland 2050), during the „One on One” segment on TVN24. She was advocating for the amendments that were approved in the Sejm in collaboration with the Law and Justice party (PiS) concerning social housing.
On Wednesday, July 9, the Sejm conducted a vote in which Polska 2025, a partner in the ruling coalition, aligned with PiS and Konfederacja to support amendments to the legislation that raises the state budget expenditure limit for social housing.
One of the amendments that passed in the Sejm established an institutional avenue for tenants to gain ownership rights in Social Housing Initiatives within municipalities that have populations under 100,000. Additionally, another amendment reduced the time frame for separating ownership of residential units from 25 years to 15 years, starting from the date the building is occupied and prior to the full repayment of the loan provided by BGK.
On July 17, the Senate voted to revert the bill to its original form, effectively eliminating the amendments that were supported by Polska 2050 in conjunction with PiS and Konfederacja.
For further details, check: The impact of the amendments voted by Poland 2050 alongside PiS
Anticipation for another Sejm vote
When questioned about whether „it was worth taking such a risk,” Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz responded, „This is a very solid bill concerning social housing; it received coalition support and will be approved as a whole, so let’s make it clear that this legislation is beneficial and will pass.”
„I am optimistic about this, and we are persistently encouraging the coalition to endorse the amendments proposed by Poland 2050. We advocated for it during committee discussions and during governmental processes, clarifying the key issues. Now, allow me to elaborate on the details,” the minister expressed.
„The primary amendment pertains to local Poland, where a housing policy designed to retain young residents is vital. These young individuals require access to ownership in social housing, as there are very few developers in local Poland. Sometimes, social housing is the only new accommodation available. Access to ownership at market rates is crucial for young families to remain in smaller towns,” the government official emphasized.
When asked if coalition partners „do not comprehend this,” Pełczyńska-Nałęcz replied: „I have articulated this using data as the minister of regional policy. I advocate for the interests of local Poland, and those interests truly represent the future of Poland today.”
– Unfortunately, there has been a long-standing misperception in Poland that what benefits large cities can simply be transferred to local Poland – she remarked.
When questioned whether coalition partners are living in a bubble of major cities and failing to grasp the realities of local Poland, the minister acknowledged that „this might be the case, and I am presenting data to support my claims,” while also sharing an anecdotal instance.
We will stay if you allow us to stay
„I visited Lubliniec yesterday, a town of 20,000 residents, to engage with people about the type of housing they require. They expressed: let us maintain this access to ownership at market prices, as that is the reason I am choosing to stay in Lubliniec,” the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy quoted local residents.
She further highlighted that „Lublin, with its population of twenty thousand, has experienced a loss of a thousand residents who departed in the past five years.”
„In the public housing complex I toured, the majority of those on the waiting list—happily, they will receive their own apartments in the coming months—are young families. And all these young families conveyed, 'We want to own them, if given the chance, we will stay in Lubliniec.’ And that reflects sound policy,” the minister elaborated.
„The situation in Warsaw is entirely different. In Warsaw, if you possess social housing, you cannot sell it. Moreover, you cannot sell municipal housing, as the goal in Warsaw is not to increase the number of residents—there are already plenty, and their numbers are growing in large cities. If someone cannot afford their own apartment, they must reside in social housing. Once they can afford it, they move out, allowing a new tenant to take their place. Therefore, we need to tailor regional policy to better suit local Poland,” she noted, illustrating the disparities in the capital’s approach.
