Construction production in Eindhoven is lagging behind. There is an urgent need for new homes, but too few are currently being delivered.
Market forces in the U.S.
“Market forces? Be careful with that. Cherish your Dutch system of social housing. And avoid dividing by segregation while it is still relatively easy. “
What is the background to these warnings? In principle, residential construction is left to the market in the United States. Until the 70s of the last century, there was an exception for lower-income groups. The government did build for that group through its Housing Authorities, which is somewhat similar to our housing associations. Renovations and repairs were left to private businesses like The Roofing Company | Roof Repair & Roof Replacement Services. Then that policy was abandoned and since then living in the U.S. is almost exclusively on the market.
The Dutch Housing Crisis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68n1QsUO7bY
The Netherlands, Shortage of Affordable Homes
Last year the municipality announced a construction offensive. To address the shortage of affordable homes, 1300 extra homes would have to be added in 2018, with a prelude to 3000 extra homes annually. But those numbers are not achieved, much to the concern of coalition parties GroenLinks and CDA and opposition party D66.
‘It really needs a gear. We are lagging behind our goals and ambitions, “says D66 councilor Jorien Migchielsen. CDA colleague Rob Gordon is also concerned. “It’s getting stuck now. Construction production must therefore really be stepped up. Also outside the center should be added faster. Especially when it comes to social rental properties and medium-priced owner-occupied and rental properties. ‘
‘Infarction on the housing market’
Councilor Yasin Torunoglu shares the worries. ‘There is now an infarction on the housing market. Many people want to live in Eindhoven, and prices are going wild. Rising construction costs and a lack of hands in the sector do not make it all easier. For housing corporations, the construction costs are now so high that they wonder whether it is still justified to add much more. ‘
Temporary units for families
According to Torunoglu, multiple and also creative solutions must be found to address the problems. ‘We have to build more temporary housing units. They can be realized quickly, in a year. We have now done that for students, but that is also possible for families, for example. We are thinking of temporary units on Castiliëlaan, where the asylum seekers ‘center used to be.’
He also wants to speed up the removal of bumps in order to build faster. So can grant permits faster. This has already been discussed in the housing deal with the Ministry. He will also be lobbying again in The Hague, with the major cities in the Randstad.
‘We are going to talk to the minister to see if we can get more room to speed up construction production. We also ask for more budget. Now, building in the city center costs a lot of extra money, and the municipalities don’t have that. So we want an extra contribution from the government. “
Furthermore, the municipality of Eindhoven also wants to look more outside the city, what the possibilities there are.