The three municipalities, which do not have military camps, are neighbors to defense municipalities in Midt-Troms and Nordland. According to NRK Troms og Finnmark, Mayor Hege Myrseth Rollmoen described the proposal as building perhaps two houses per municipality for defense employees to rent. Currently, about 2,500 military personnel commute weekly, and only about 10 percent of applicants for housing in Indre Troms receive a place.
With an expected increase of 4,600 military employees over the next decade, the need for housing will grow. The mayors believe greater freedom in choosing where to live could reduce commuting southward and is important for preparedness. According to NRK Troms og Finnmark, Mayor Simon Løvhaug described that expanding housing options could lead to more employees moving north with their families, strengthening the municipalities.
We propose that Forsvarsbygg build defense housing also in our municipalities. It's not about building many houses, but perhaps two houses in each municipality that defense employees can rent.
Salangen was named Norway's best municipality for children and young people by UNICEF in 2024. However, the municipalities report being stuck in a loop between agencies without clear answers. Main union representative Jan Helge Andersen, according to NRK Troms og Finnmark, fears that if Forsvarsbygg builds housing in Sjøvegan, employees might be forced to live there if housing at the service location is insufficient.
He suggests municipalities and businesses cooperate on building housing, with Forsvarsbygg renting for interested employees. Forsvarsbygg's official response to the proposal remains unknown.
We can offer good living environments, work for accompanying partners, and actually sea versus valleys and mountains inland. We believe that expanding the menu of living environments employees can choose from can help the accompanying partner accept moving north.
It is important to have a robust total defense. Then you also need people living in the municipalities, not just around the defense installations. I think it's important to lift your gaze and see what opportunities we have.
We experience that we end up in a loop between the agencies and don't get any good answers.
What we are worried about if Forsvarsbygg builds houses in, for example, Sjøvegan, is that if there are not enough houses at the service location, employees will be forced to live in Sjøvegan. That would not be beneficial for our employees.