The municipality proposes new measures for housing distribution. This should ensure that more social rental homes become available without disadvantaging others seeking housing. The new rules will be available for inspection from January 28: residents can respond.
Alderman Paul Tang (Housing): “With these additional measures, we ensure that a young teacher does not have to wait endlessly for a place. Older residents can more easily make room for families. We reward active housing seekers. We protect middle incomes. And we remove barriers for people who want to move to a home that better suits them.”
Active house hunting is rewarded
People actively looking for a home can get priority. They must have responded at least 50 times to suitable homes within a year. If multiple people qualify for priority, the person registered longest gets the home. If you refuse a home offered, you lose priority.
Priority for teachers
Almere has too few teachers. To counter this, up to 40 teachers per year can receive priority for social rental homes. This includes starting and part-time teachers and teachers in training economically tied to Almere. Almere wants to make it easier for education staff to live in the city, encouraging them to work and stay here.
Making moving more attractive
When housing seekers move to mid-rent or another home better suited to them, they may keep 50% of their registration duration. This prevents people from staying unnecessarily long in social rental homes and keeps homes available. People seeking housing get priority if they leave a social rental home in Almere. Seniors over 65 moving from a flat without an elevator to a more suitable home also get priority, helping them live independently longer.
Protecting middle incomes and new housing types
Housing seekers with middle incomes and first-time buyers must not be pushed out of the tight housing market. Therefore, in consultation with landlords, a permit requirement is introduced for mid-rent homes and affordable new-build owner-occupied homes. This requirement has existed for social rental homes for years.
Responding to the plans
The new plans for housing allocation will be available for inspection from January 28. View them via officielebekendmakingen.nl or at the city hall at the Citizen Services desk.
All Almere residents can view and respond to the new rules. Responses may lead to adjustments or withdrawal of the proposed measures. After the response period, the new measures will be discussed in the council. If approved, they will be included in the Housing Regulation.