New rental housing in Smiltene sees demand outstrip supply
A new 30-apartment rental building has opened in Smiltene, but around 50 people applied to live there. The municipality plans to build more such buildings, including private investors.
A new rental housing building with 30 apartments has recently opened in the town of Smiltene. It has quickly become clear that demand far exceeds the available supply, as roughly 50 people applied for a place to live in the new building.
Municipality plans expansion
Given the strong interest, the Smiltene municipality is now planning to build additional rental housing blocks to meet local residents' housing needs. Private investors will also be invited to take part in the project, potentially helping to speed up construction of new buildings.
National-level support
The situation has also caught the attention of the Ministry of Economics, which is currently seeking additional funding to support similar rental housing projects in other regional municipalities across Latvia. This suggests that the housing shortage outside Riga is not unique to Smiltene, but reflects a broader trend across the country's regions.
