Housing Day: Providing Perspective for Home Seekers

The meeting began with the presentation of the State of Housing 2025. In 2025, an estimated 77,600 homes will be added, following 82,400 homes in 2024. The previously predicted construction dip for these years is reflected in the figures. Due to better economic conditions, housing construction will pick up again in the coming years. The goal of 100,000 new homes per year is thus in sight. Furthermore, fewer tenants have excessively high rents relative to their income. The sustainability of homes, buildings, and areas in the Netherlands has also progressed, for example, with more gas-free homes and fewer homes with poor energy labels E, F, and G.

Today also saw the administrative consultation of the national Woontop partners - the government, provinces, municipalities, corporations, market parties, and social organizations. Since the 2024 Woontop, tangible results have been achieved. Agreements between market and municipality in Stougjeswijk and an administrative accord in Lisserbroek make the construction of 5,000 homes possible. Additionally, in the Midden-Holland region, 208 million euros have been pledged, enabling the construction of 14,000 homes - of which 8,000 in Cortelande (Zuidplas). Nationally, a total of 3.4 billion euros has been allocated for housing, accessibility, and area measures, sufficient for approximately 273,000 homes.

Work is also underway on 50,000 affordable homes in NPLV areas (between 2024 and 2029), starting in 2026 a government contribution of 7,000 euros per affordable home via the Realisatiestimulans, and with the STOER program unnecessary rules are being removed to speed up permit procedures. The cooperation with Woontop partners continues. For example, in January, a group of professionals will be trained in the parallel planning methodology, and in March an inspiration guide will be released on how municipalities, corporations, or developers can involve the voice of home seekers in local housing plans.

Despite these positive developments, structural challenges remain for the Woontop partners. Municipalities face limited capacity in permit issuance, objection procedures take too long, financial feasibility of projects is a concern, and the investment climate for mid-rent and necessary modernization of building regulations require ongoing attention. Additionally, dossiers such as nitrogen, grid congestion, space, soil, and water affect progress.

The Woontop parties have agreed to focus in the coming period especially on establishing regional acceleration tables where they are still missing, better use of existing buildings, standardization of rules, and stable policies to maintain pace in the construction task.

Housing Day also provided space to celebrate new agreements and signings.

Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning Mona Keijzer closed the day: “Today I have seen and discussed good new possibilities to help our home seekers find housing faster: think of splitting, shared housing. We must better utilize the spaces that already exist. The housing task also requires perseverance and ongoing cooperation. The government, local authorities, corporations, market parties, and organizations in the construction and development sector have already joined forces to realize 100,000 homes per year. But we are not there yet; the life of the home seeker often remains on pause. Together with our partners, we therefore commit ourselves every day to quickly provide more perspective for the many home seekers in the Netherlands. But there is still a long way to go before all challenges in the housing market are solved.”