Real estate sector experts warn of “unprecedented housing crisis”: “De Wetstraat does not want to see it”.
If no action is taken, the right to affordable housing will collapse. This is what ten experts say from the real estate and construction sectors, the social housing sector and the private rental market, who are sounding the alarm in an open letter.
Friday May 3, 2024 at 7:14 AM
According to the experts, things are also going in the wrong direction in our country and we are heading for an unprecedented housing crisis. “Only: Wetstraat does not want to see it yet and Dorpstraat does not know what to do.”
“Our country today has about 75 percent owners, 20 percent private and 5 percent social tenants. But the first category is declining (…). Private tenants are affected by increasing affordability and quality problems. And prospective social tenants are burdened by endless waiting lists,” they note. Slow procedures, a shrinking supply and rules that are not tailored to today’s society are part of the problem.
In the meantime, according to the signatories of the letter, the housing debate is substandard and housing policy is still too often reduced to premiums and registration fees. While it should also concern spatial planning, mobility, construction costs, biodiversity, affordability, space for agriculture and an aging population.
“Dare to experiment”
The experts argue for a holistic vision and a paradigm shift. “Our politicians must dare to experiment instead of continuing to rely on old recipes.” They believe that a framework with few regulations and pilot projects can get us started. In addition, higher and more dense construction must be built, “of course with attention to the right locations and with high-quality public domain and greenery”, and social housing must also be opted for from a social and not just a financial point of view.
If we do not want many to become victims, it is high time to put our heads together and put a broad, ambitious housing policy into practice, the signatories conclude.
