Norway – Buying and selling of real estate – Contract signing - Procurement of sheltered accommodation flats Strømsbu Torg

Arendal Eiendom has been given a mandate to obtain housing in the municipality through the municipal plan ́s community part and the municipality ́s housing strategy. There is a great need for several residences that are suitable for persons with decisions on 24 hour care and who are centrally located in relation to the municipality ́s service offer. The municipality does not have separate sites in the relevant area that are suitable for the purpose. Based on this need, the municipality has, in February/March 2025, turned to the property market through announcement via Doffin.no (prior information notice) and the municipality's website for the purpose of buying or renting sheltered accommodation flats in projects around Plankemyra/Strømsbusletta. See the previous announcement: https://doffin.no/notices/2025-103253 Several actors registered their interest and are assessed by the municipality against communicated needs. The offer from Strømsbu Torg was assessed as the most relevant based on quality, location and progress and it was decided in Arendal City Council on 28.08.2025 that Arendal municipality would enter into an agreement for the purchase of 61 sheltered accommodations including common rooms and personnel base. The project at Strømsbu is an established project where construction stage 1 with 34 flats and a large business part with shops etc. was completed in 2021. The two blocks that shall be constructed are established on the roof of the existing building body, where i.a. there are supporting etc. that are designed for the coming construction stages. The sheltered accommodation flats will be part of an existing owner sectionmeie. The contract with the seller means that the municipality will first take on the cost of the completion of the project. The purchase sum for the dwellings is set at NOK 152 million excluding VAT, as the developer has the right to VAT compensation. The procurement regulations will not apply, cf. the regulations § 2-4 letter a because the procurement of sheltered accommodation flats in this case is to be seen as "the acquisition or hire of land, existing buildings or other real estate, or on rights to such property".