145 municipalities to receive construction stimulus subsidy for 31,000 new homes

145 municipalities will receive a construction stimulus subsidy, known as Startbouwimpuls, enabling the rapid start of the construction of over 31,000 new homes, announced outgoing Housing Minister Hugo de Jonge on Monday. This subsidy targets construction projects with ready plans that face potential delays or cancellations due to economic factors.

Minister De Jonge highlighted the challenges in building new homes due to increased interest rates and construction costs. "With the additional financial support to municipalities through the Startbouwimpuls, we fulfill our mission to continue building more affordable housing with greater pace and control," he said. This initiative is designed to speed up the construction of affordable housing, particularly in locations where projects have already received permits.

Municipalities had the opportunity to apply for this subsidy scheme from mid-September to mid-October, and the response was significant. They requested a total of 860 million euros in subsidies for 832 projects.

With only 300 million euros available for distribution, De Jonge had to make a slection selective choices. This funding was eventually allocated to 362 projects across 145 municipalities in all twelve provinces. An average contribution of 10,000 euros is provided per home.

The assessment for project eligibility considered various factors, including planning status, speed, efficiency, and optimizations in the business case.

The announcement of the Startbouwimpuls was made during Public Housing Day, an event that puts a spotlight on the entire spectrum of public housing, encompassing aspects from architecture and project development to construction, technology, and collaboration.