Despite the challenges in the construction sector, Amsterdam continues to build new homes. In 2024, the construction of 4,541 homes was initiated. The majority of these consist of social rental homes.
The homes come in various price ranges and types, providing more options for diverse home seekers. Among the 4,541 homes under construction are:
- 1,887 social rental homes
- 1,006 mid-rental homes
- 887 owner-occupied homes
- 672 free sector rental homes
Mid-rental Lagging Behind
The number of mid-rental homes is lagging behind demand. This is mainly due to difficult market conditions and uncertainty surrounding the introduction of the Affordable Rent Act last year. Nevertheless, the number increased significantly in 2024 compared to 2023, when only 314 of these homes were under construction.
‘Amsterdam Builds On’
Councilor Reinier van Dantzig (Housing) emphasizes that the municipality is sticking to its plans despite the difficult market conditions: “Housing construction is under pressure. Still, I am proud of what is being realized in Amsterdam. More than 4,500 homes are under construction, and compared to previous crisis years and other cities, we are holding up well. With 800 temporary homes, we are also making progress. The conditions remain challenging, but we will continue to push for every home.”
Measures to Enable Housing Construction
This increase in the number of homes under construction is partly due to measures taken by the municipal executive to support construction companies and housing corporations.
- Parties were given the opportunity to recalculate their land prices and use the lowest value in their project.
- Projects that converted buildings into affordable homes received a 10 percent discount on land prices.
Among other measures, these make it easier to build new homes. The executive will also look into whether additional measures are needed to stimulate housing construction in 2025.
Housing Construction Remains a Priority
Construction is taking place according to the Housing Construction Plan (2022-2028) with the aim of realizing 7,500 homes each year. We are now halfway through that plan. In 2022, construction production peaked, but in 2023 and 2024, the number of new homes declined.
In the past 3 years, a total of 18,000 homes have been started, averaging 6,000 per year. In comparison, during previous crises, the production of homes was significantly lower. During the financial crisis in 2009, only 2,300 homes were started.