Regjeringen henger etter boligmål – varsler budsjettgrep

The Norwegian government is striving to meet the goal of issuing permits for the construction of 130,000 new homes, according to Communications and Modernization Minister Bjørnar Skjæran. He emphasized his commitment to achieving this target, stating that it has been crucial for their work and underlying departments. However, the government has only managed to secure 21,804 permits in 2025, including 1,620 for renovating existing homes.

This outcome suggests that the pace of construction must increase to 27,049 homes per year. Skjæran acknowledged that reaching this target in 2026 seems unlikely, predicting it may be similar to the 2025 level. If the results mirror 2025, the government would need to grant an average of 28,797 new permits between 2027 and 2029 to achieve the 2030 goal.

Skjæran remains unfazed by falling short, stating that if the average had been met earlier, the objective would have been too ambitious. The Housing Minister acknowledged that measures are necessary and warned that a housing package of 61 million kroner will be proposed in the upcoming government budget. This allocation includes 10 million kroner for digitalizing processes, 15 million kroner to merge Husbanken and the Directorate of Building Quality, and 36 million kroner for Husbank's system solution.

The government aims to strengthen the underlying departments to support their efforts to accelerate the construction work across various fronts, according to Skjæran. He emphasized that the government is trying to address the situation as best as they can, acknowledging the international context of rising price increases, but also recognizing that adjusting the pace of construction is necessary given the current global situation.