Inclusio announced on June 27, 2024 that it had acquired a building in Laeken “for the reception and accommodation of 350 applicants for international protection”. In other words, asylum seekers. The building is located avenue de Lima 20: it is the Maison Saint-Ignace. It was immediately rented to Samusocial. This is the 2nd partnership between Inclusio and Samusocial after that relating to a center for homeless people in Anderlecht, opening in 2021.
The building includes 6,200m2 above ground. “Built in 1946, this building was originally the convent of Marie Réparatrice. It was converted into a rest home in 1993, and completely renovated in 2004,” Inclusio said in a press release. The Laeken collaboration between the two partners lasts 12 years.
5,000 people welcomed
“This project allows for the efficient conversion of an existing building, which confirms our ambitions in the circular economy,” says Lionel Van Rillaer, CEO of Inclusio. “Thanks to this investment, we have reached the symbolic milestone of 5,000 people in vulnerable situations who are housed in our buildings.” Samusocial Director Sébastien Roy adds that “the search for suitable buildings is a permanent challenge for Samusocial, which houses up to 1,800 people per day in 13 reception facilities. Thanks to the real estate expertise of a partner like Inclusio, we are optimizing the search for buildings and strengthening the reliability of the infrastructure.”
Remember that Inclusio is an “impact company specializing in social real estate in Belgium”. It specifies that it has the status of SIRP (Public Regulated Real Estate Company) under Belgian law and that it is active in 3 sectors: “affordable housing (1,314 units; 3,585 people accommodated), accommodation and reception people with disabilities (155 units; 182 people accommodated), social infrastructure (12 units; 1,011 people accommodated).
