Cities want new Cabinet to push 2 billion into solving housing crisis

On Friday, a coalition of sixteen large cities called on the parties in the Cabinet formation process in The Hague to work as quickly as possible on the housing crisis as a new Cabinet. They asked for more money and fewer rules. "Adjust restrictive laws and regulations," they said.

According to them, various laws and regulations slow down construction. "The central government should look into the possibilities of combating delays as a result of legislation and regulations. For example, nitrogen, nuisance contours, and (capacity for) spacial procedures," they wrote in a document intended for the new Cabinet.

According to the cities, municipalities, and market parties are ready to take action, and many developments have already gained momentum. They only need an extra 2 billion euros annually from the government. "The plans are ready! Continue on the chosen path and see how we can jointly accelerate the inner-city construction. In this way, we will solve the shortage in the short term," according to the four large cities, together with Arnhem, Zwolle, Den Bosch, and Haarlem, among others. The province of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, and Utrecht, city transporters HTM, RET, and GVB, and the Fietserbond also signed the call.

With the extra investment, they want to "steer growth in the right direction." They want better, cleaner, and more beautiful (inner) cities by adding more water and greenery and encouraging people to take the bicycle and public transport instead of the car. The cities have calculated that the Netherlands currently has a shortage of approximately 280,000 homes. According to them, a total of about one million new homes will have to be built over the next ten years.