Will the Netherlands ever make it out of this housing crisis? (Realistically, yes, but it sometimes it doesn’t feel like it). The newest development is that the city of Amsterdam isn’t able to build enough new homes for everyone.
The city is lagging far behind on its 2023 housing construction plans — some 3,000 homes behind, to be exact.
The goal was to build 7,500 new homes in 2023, but now it’s expected that only 4,500 of them will be done by the end of the year. 😮💨
Amsterdam, please give us homes
The costs of building new homes are rising. This time, it’s due to things such as more expensive building materials.
The focus that is suffering the most is homes for medium-priced rentals. The goal was to build 3,000 of these homes, but in the first half of 2023, the city only built *drumroll please*… a laughable 211.
The reason? Uncertainty about rent regulations on a national level. It’s hard to know what will be considered a “medium-price rent” soon, so investors are opting out of buying them.
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Social housing, on the other hand, seems to still be up to standard. Many corporations are still investing in these construction projects, so the sector has managed to keep its head above water.
In the first half of the year, 1,576 social rental homes started being built.
So, what now?
As Het Parool writes, Housing councillor Reinier van Dantzig is now considering “transformation projects” to counter this “terrible” delay — where existing buildings are converted into new homes. 🏠
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On top of that, Van Dantzig is also asking the government for extra money. He wants there to be a special fund for construction projects that are in danger of being postponed or stopped due to poorer economic conditions.
Right now, it’s being investigated which projects in Amsterdam are eligible for this. An emergency debate is also scheduled for tomorrow, September 27, to discuss the next steps.
What do you think of these construction projects? Tell us in the comments!