On Tuesday, Julia, her husband, and their three children were expected to leave their home in eastern Luxembourg because their social housing contract has reached its final deadline. While the family were given a brief reprieve and allowed to stay one extra night, they don’t know where they will live afterwards.
“We made calls, we sent letters, we went to different services,” Julia said. “But nothing concrete came out of it. Now we don’t know where we will go.” Julia asked to speak anonymously as she fears speaking publicly might limit her chances even further to secure housing and expose her family to negative repercussions.
The family has been living near the Belgian border, where they have spent the past three years in housing provided through a social assistance programme run by the Fondation pour l’accès au logement, an initiative that aims to help people in need find a place to live. The agreement was initially limited to three years and was extended once for six months, given the family’s circumstances.
The family is originally from Cape Verde. Julia, 39, has been living in Luxembourg for twenty years and her three children – aged 5,7, and 9 – rely on the single income of the husband and father, who works for a gardening company. Julia is completing an internship as they try to stabilise their financial situation.
Julia has already packed […] but she has nowhere to take those things
Julia’s friend
In an interview with the Luxembourg Times, Julia said her main request in recent months was not to remain indefinitely, but to gain a short additional period, primarily for the sake of her children.
“We asked if we could stay just until the end of the school year,” she explained. “For the children. That was the main thing.”
Her three sons are settled locally. The youngest is still in childcare, while the oldest is in elementary school. Leaving now would mean an abrupt disruption for them, since they don’t know where to go next.
“I understand there are rules,” Julia said. “But we are a family. We just need a place to stay.”
A family of five in eastern Luxembourg faces eviction after their social housing contract expired with no alternative accommodation secured. © Photo credit: Eva Krins
Cooperation with social services
In a written statement, Gilles Hempel, CEO and director of the social housing foundation defended the decision to evict the family, saying this followed proper procedure.
“Our foundation provides housing within the framework of social assistance for an initial period of three years. These agreements are always extended if the beneficiary fulfils their commitments,” he said.
Central to the agreement is a “social inclusion project”, which beneficiaries must complete in cooperation with social services. “The beneficiary is informed at the time of signing that failure to comply with the project or lack of cooperation may result in termination of the agreement or refusal to extend it,” Hempel wrote.
According to the foundation, Julia’s family did not meet these obligations during the initial period. Despite this, a six-month extension was granted. Hempel said he could not provide further information on which obligations weren’t fulfilled.
“During these additional six months, the family’s situation and behaviour did not improve, despite intensive social support from our side,” he wrote.
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With more than 1,500 households on its waiting list, the foundation decided not to extend the agreement further. “We have decided to give another, more motivated family a chance,” he said, adding that responsibility for emergency or alternative housing lies with other services, to which the family was directed.
Julia disputed parts of this assessment, saying she was not clearly informed of specific breaches and maintains that she engaged with services.
Despite repeated efforts, the family says it has been unable to secure alternative housing in a tight rental market © Photo credit: Eva Krins
The housing ministry says eviction decisions are up to the courts and it cannot intervene in specific situations © Photo credit: Eva Krins
Authorities cite eligibility rules and limited capacity in social and emergency housing, while the family says they have been unable to find any viable option despite repeated efforts © Photo credit: Eva Krins
Court ruling and legal framework
The case eventually was brought before the courts. In a judgment issued on 27 October, the justice of the peace ordered the family to vacate the property within four months and to pay a monthly occupation fee of €1,075 until departure.
According to a friend close to the family, who also spoke to the Luxembourg Times, the legal discussion focused primarily on the duration of the housing agreement. Broader aspects of the family’s situation, such as financial constraints or efforts to secure alternative housing, according to her, were not central to the proceedings. “They only discussed the duration of the contract, not the reality of her situation,” she said.
The family friend wished to remain anonymous, saying she simply wanted to help a family she believes to be “kind people” without drawing attention to herself.
In response to the judgment, the family’s lawyer submitted a request for an “ultimate, exceptional and gracious extension”, citing the presence of three minor children, ongoing efforts to secure housing, and the importance of allowing them to complete the school year in a stable environment.
That request was not granted and the final eviction order was issued for 31 March, indicating that the family would be forcibly removed if they don’t vacate the flat voluntarily.
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“Julia has already packed,” the family friend said, speaking to the Luxembourg Times last week . “But she has nowhere to take those things.”
In the two years leading up to the eviction, Julia said she contacted multiple services, including her local commune and housing support channels, to find a new place. She also explored private rental options, though without success, as only her husband – who is been living in the country for nine years – has a full-time job contract. Julia is currently completing an internship in a childcare facility.
“The husband works, he has a salary,” explained the family friend who has followed the case closely. “But with three children, they need a larger apartment. And that is simply not affordable for them in the current market.”
She has been applying non-stop. And still, nothing
Family friend
According to documents reviewed by this publication, the family has made at least 20 formal attempts to secure rental housing. Most applications were either unsuccessful or received no response.
“I went there to understand the situation. And what I saw is a family that has been trying, really trying, to find a solution,” the family friend said. “I can testify that she has been applying non-stop. And still, nothing.”
A letter from the family’s legal representative confirms these efforts, stating that numerous, serious and repeated attempts were made to find suitable accommodation without success.
The letter also emphasised that the family’s continued presence in the property is not due to refusal, but to lack of alternatives. “She [Julia] has never intended to evade her obligations or remain in the property unlawfully,” the lawyer writes.
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No immediate alternative
One of the central concerns raised by those close to the family is the absence of a clear fallback option.
“What I find very surprising is that they are asking her to leave but not offering any alternative,” the friend said. “Not even something temporary.” She also said that attempts to contact higher level institutions, including ministries, did not lead to a response.
Several housing providers, associations, and social services listed by the housing ministry told the Luxembourg Times that no housing was available or that accommodation was reserved for specific categories, including refugees. No alternative or immediate housing solution was offered for a family with three children and a single income.
We don’t know where we will sleep after Tuesday
Julia
Mother of three gettinge evicted from social housing
Eviction procedures are judicial matters decided by the competent courts, a spokesperson for the ministry said in an email. The ministry cannot intervene in individual cases, the statement said, adding that tenants may, under Luxembourg law, request a stay of execution of an eviction order before the justice of the peace.
Under the amended law of 21 September 2006 on residential leases, such a stay may not exceed three months and can be renewed twice, for a maximum of three months each time. It is granted only if the applicant demonstrates serious efforts to find alternative housing and appears to merit the measure.
According to the 2024 annual report of the Fonds du Logement, a housing developer, around 6,500 households are currently waiting for access to affordable housing. Available rental accommodation is allocated according to urgency, household composition, type of dwelling and geographical considerations, the organisation said, although it could not specify how long a family of five would typically need to wait.
The City of Luxembourg currently manages 635 affordable rental homes for people on modest incomes, according to its website. Applications are opened periodically, with housing units published sporadically for interested applicants to submit requests.
In a previous report, a 67-year-old woman facing eviction told this publication that waiting times could reach up to four years for the Fonds du Logement and around one year for city-managed housing. Neither authority confirmed this number to the Luxembourg Times.
For Julia and her family, the situation remains unresolved, despite being given one extra night to stay at the property. Social services were due to meet with the family on Tuesday.
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