Nearly 12,000 social housing tenants also own one or more homes: CPB

Nearly 12,000 social housing tenants also own one or more homes, with some exceeding ten owned properties, according to new research by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB). “Although this is a small group [0.5% of all social housing tenants], it raises questions about the appropriate use of scarce social housing,” CPB said.

Social housing is regulated rentals owned by housing corporations. Housing corporations are legally obligated to provide housing for individuals who are unable to meet their housing needs independently. CPB called renting social housing while owning a home “a specific form of skewed rent.”

Of the 12,000 tenant-owners, approximately one in six appears to have acquired homeownership due to circumstances beyond their control. For example, they inherited a share in a parent’s home, or their ex-partner still lives in their home. “The tenant likely cannot freely dispose of the home, so there is no clear conflict with the objectives of housing corporations,” CPB said.

But for the others, the CPB considers it very possible to live in or dispose of their owned properties. The most common use of these 10,000 social housing tenants’ properties is renting out, both for tenants with one home and multiple homes. Housing a loved one or using the property as a second home also occurs.

“In these cases, homeownership does appear to conflict with the objective of social housing corporations: the tenant essentially has another place to live, but does not use it for this purpose.”

According to the CPB, more than half of these tenants also earn too much to be eligible for social housing. “They are also more likely than other social housing tenants to live in good locations and attractive homes.”