10,500 new homes will be built in Amsterdam on land owned by the municipality, the housing is meant for students. The student housing crisis drives people and municipalities to their wit’s end. Will there really be over ten thousand new homes for young people and students?
It certainly hasn’t been mentioned on the city of Amsterdam’s website, “what is new in 2019“. It will likely take years and years to roll out the new housing. Even more unsettling, when you search for “new homes being built in Amsterdam”, a headline from the city of Amsterdam promising 52,500 new houses by 2025 is simply a dead link, the page is gone. (set your expectations about 40,000 new homes lower).
Alderman Laurens Ivens says, in an interview with Cobouw, “although it’s difficult the construction will continue, construction is an attractive profession, it is interesting to work in construction. The construction task in Amsterdam is extremely large, not only in housing construction”. Despite his comments on it being an attractive profession, there are skill shortages in the construction, engineering and technology sectors.
A shortage of construction workers is ending
With so much to build now there are plenty of jobs on offer for construction workers. The construction is planned but more workers are needed, a lot will happen up until 2025. “People need an affordable home while building their lives in the Netherlands”, says Ivens.
What sort of new homes will be constructed in Amsterdam?
The new buildings will be both temporary and permanent homes, independent and with shared facilities. Because the municipality owns the land being built on, prices will be controlled to accommodate students. Those aged between 18 and 24 will pay a maximum rent of 424 euros per month, and 23- to 28-year-olds will pay up to 607 euros each month.
More housing is desperately needed. Students from overseas and Dutch nationals both need housing, the city has pledged over ten thousand new homes. Now we will just have to hope it’s enough.
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