Income limits introduced for selection of residents to ARA rental housing
Maximum income limits will be introduced for the selection of residents to state-subsidised rental housing at the begining of 2025. Income limits apply to both new applicants and tenants changing apartments within Espoon Asunnot.
The majority of Espoon Asunnot's rental housing is state-subsidised. The tenant selection is based on the law, and considers applicants' need for housing, wealth, and income.
In tenant selection, priority is given to the homeless and other applicants with limited means and low income who have the most urgent need for housing. From the beginning of 2025, maximum income limits will also guide the tenant selection for ARA rental apartments.
What do maximum income limits mean?
From the beginning of 2025, a condition for being selected is that the incomes of a single-person household do not exceed EUR 3,540. The income level is raised by EUR 2,480 per each adult member of the household (over the age of 18). If there are children under the age of 18 in the household, the income level is raised by EUR 650 for the first child and by EUR 600 for each additional child.
Examples of income limits:
| Number of people in the household | Income limit |
| 1 adult | € 3,540 |
| 2 adults | € 6,020 |
| 1 adult and 1 child | € 4,190 |
| 2 adults and 1 child | € 6,670 |
| 2 adults and 2 children | € 7,270 |
| 2 adults and 3 adults | € 7,870 |
Source: ARA (in Finnish)
Exceptions to the resident selection criteria, including income limits, may be allowed in urgent situations or when there are no other applicants who meet the criteria.
The income limits do not apply to non-subsidised rental apartments, of which Espoon Asunnot has nearly 2,000.