Housing experts warn political promises risk worsening crisis

Several leading housing experts have urged politicians to stop making unrealistic promises ahead of the October election and instead focus on long-term, consistent policies to tackle the worsening housing shortage in the Netherlands.

“Something really has to change,” said Peter Boelhouwer, professor of housing systems at Delft University of Technology. He and three other experts – Friso de Zeeuw, Jan Rouwendal and Desiree Uitzetter – have jointly called for a stable housing strategy and a break from what they call “short-sighted zigzag politics”.

Despite housing being a priority on the political agenda since 2017, the shortage has only deepened. “Young people, older people, recently divorced or newly married – everyone is stuck,” Boelhouwer told the AD.

The experts warned that election proposals from parties on both the left and the right risk making the situation worse. Boelhouwer has already criticised VVD plans to offer extra financial support to first-time buyers, saying it would drive up prices without increasing supply.

The group is calling for a national strategy led by central government, with the next housing minister to take charge of large-scale planning. This would include building 1.8 million homes across both new urban extensions and smaller sites and investing properly in infrastructure.

Currently, just €500 million per year is earmarked for public transport and utilities to support housing growth. The experts say at least €1.5 billion is needed annually.

“Fewer building permits are being granted, and we’re heading in the wrong direction,” Boelhouwer said. “We’re also facing increasing challenges from nitrogen regulations, water quality rules and electricity grid congestion.”

Among their most contentious proposals is the gradual abolition of mortgage interest tax relief, a longstanding feature of Dutch housing policy. The experts say the measure inflates house prices and must be phased out over 15 years, starting with the most expensive homes.

Although politically sensitive, the move could free up as much as €6 billion annually in public funds. “That taboo must be broken,” said De Zeeuw, a professor and government housing advisor. “The money could be used to fund affordable housing, infrastructure and compensation for middle-income households.”

Red tape

They also recommend streamlining building regulations, shortening permit procedures, expanding housing options such as co-living and room rental, and limiting the share of new builds that must be affordable to one-third, rather than the current two-thirds.

The experts told the AD they hope to steer the debate away from unrealistic election slogans and back towards effective, long-term action. “People are being given false hope,” De Zeeuw said. “We need to take real steps to solve this.”