Concerned Rotterdammers: stop demolishing affordable homes

A group of concerned Rotterdammers has asked the city council to stop reducing the social housing stock and replacing affordable housing with more expensive houses. The group is making this appeal in response to the Woonvisie, the city's proposed housing policy by the coalition of Liveable Rotterdam, VVD, D66 and DENK.

The group, called Recht op de Stad ("Right to the City"), states that the coalition parties are not saying goodbye to "the very problematic foundation of the Woonvisie, namely the idea that our city is not in 'balance.'" The Woonvisie has based its choice to reduce the social housing stock and renovate and demolish buildings on figures that are "based on quicksand," according to the group. Recht op de Stad refers to a report from the Rotterdam Court of Audit that appeared last month.

In the report, the Court of Audit concluded that the housing policy of the Rotterdam city council in recent years has not been in balance with the actual housing needs of the city's inhabitants. According to the court, too many homes in the higher price segment are being developed in the city and too few are being built in the middle category and the social sector. In the Woonvisie, the coalition wants more attractive homes to be built in Rotterdam for middle and higher incomes in order to stop the outflow of these groups from the city.

The housing crisis and energy crisis endanger affordable housing for many, according to Recht op de Stad. "Especially now, given the current developments that put many Rotterdammers in need, it is not appropriate that Rotterdam continues to focus on unnecessary demolition or renovation with the aim of reducing the number of homes in the social sector," they wrote.

Members of Recht op de Stad include various residents' committees, scientists, urban planners, artists and others who call themselves passionate Rotterdammers. They argue for a housing policy in which the right to housing for current and future Rotterdammers is central. Right to the city arose from dissatisfaction with the housing policy of the city council as stated in the 2016 Housing Vision for Rotterdam.