Zuid-Holland oders Ridderkerk to stay in regional social housing allocation system

The province of Zuid-Holland is compelling the municipality of Ridderkerk to remain part of a regional system for allocating social housing, escalating a dispute that has already involved mediation, a court ruling, and objections from the local government.

The conflict centers on Ridderkerk’s attempt to leave a cooperative housing agreement with 11 surrounding municipalities and establish its own allocation system that would prioritize local residents. The province says the move would undermine access to scarce housing across the region, where more than 200,000 people are waiting for social rental homes and often face waits of more than nine years.

Ridderkerk decided last year to withdraw from the regional partnership, which allows registered housing seekers to apply for social housing across all participating municipalities, including Rotterdam and Capelle aan den IJssel. Those municipalities, along with others in the network, urged Zuid-Holland to block Ridderkerk’s exit.

After a mediator concluded that no compromise was possible, the provincial government ordered Ridderkerk at the end of last year to rejoin the system. The municipality objected and brought the case before the Council of State. In February, a preliminary relief judge ruled that Zuid-Holland must first decide on Ridderkerk’s objections before any enforcement measures can proceed.

An independent provincial advisory committee recommended that the executive board of Zuid-Holland should not intervene. However, the provincial government has rejected that advice, saying allowing Ridderkerk to leave would have “enormous consequences for housing seekers.”

The province argues the split would lead to additional bureaucracy, fragmentation, and division in an already strained housing system. “This outcome is enormously unfortunate,” said Deputy Anne Koning of GroenLinks-PvdA. “It is not explainable that municipalities are putting up barriers for housing seekers. We are here to solve the housing crisis, so we do have to intervene.”

Koning added: “All the time, energy, and money we put into this cannot be spent on new homes. And that while we all want the same thing: to help people quickly and simply find a good home.”