The small island municipality of Træna, off the coast of Nordland in northern Norway, has had to start building homes itself because a lack of housing is making it hard to recruit staff, the Norwegian broadcaster NRK reports.
A newly qualified teacher who moved to the island a year ago found nothing on the open market and only secured a home after her head teacher phoned around. A hotel that opened in April, creating 40 jobs, built its own staff housing. The mayor, Trond Vegard Sletten, said new homes lose value as soon as they are built, which makes banks wary of lending, so the council is investing and hoping to recover costs through rent. It is also planning up to 14 homes.
The council currently rents holiday homes for teachers, doctors and nurses. The local government minister, Bjørnar Skjæran, called the housing situation in rural areas serious.
Source: NRK
