On August 5, 2025, Minister Mona Keijzer of Housing and Spatial Planning started the internet consultation for the Housing Act BES. This bill aims to ensure the construction of more affordable social rental housing in the Caribbean Netherlands.
With this bill, housing foundations can apply to become recognized institutions – an official status. They will then be supervised by the Housing Corporations Authority (Aw), which oversees housing corporations in the Netherlands. This supervision guarantees that the housing foundations are professional and financially sound organizations. A major problem on the islands is that housing foundations can currently only take out loans with high interest rates and sometimes unfavorable conditions. This makes it difficult to build enough affordable houses.
With a status as a recognized institution, housing foundations can participate in the Social Housing Guarantee Fund (WSW). This fund guarantees the repayment of loans, known as guaranteed lending. For banks, this means they face less risk. Therefore, they can provide the loan with a lower interest rate and better conditions.
More Social Rental Housing and Improved Livability
Due to better access to financing, housing foundations can build more social rental housing, improve the maintenance of existing homes, and invest in the livability of neighborhoods. This is urgently needed, as there is a significant shortage of affordable housing on the islands, especially for people with low or middle incomes. Thus, the bill helps in the fight against poverty.
Tailored Solutions for the Islands
The Housing Act BES will be a separate chapter in the existing Dutch Housing Act, but it has been adapted to the situation on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. This way, the bill better aligns with what is needed on the islands.
Responding to the Bill
This can be done until September 28, 2025, via the internet consultation website: https://internetconsultatie.nl/woningwetbes.
