Plan to build 60,000 new student homes in eight years
Housing corporations and commercial housing providers plan to build 60,000 affordable student homes over the next eight years, they said in the National Student Housing Action Plan 2022-2023. Municipalities and educational institutions promised to help them achieve this goal, AD reports.
The student housing shortage in the 20 largest cities is estimated at 26,800 living spaces, an increase of 300 compared to last year. The shortage is particularly evident in Amsterdam, Leiden, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Den Bosch, and Utrecht. The housing shortage is expected to increase to 44,800 in 2029/2030 without additional action, according to knowledge center Kences. Before the action plan, there were plans to build 16,500 new student residences until 2025 - not nearly enough.
The Action Plan states that social and commercial housing providers must make money and capacity available if they can afford it. Municipalities will help with long-term agreements about adding student housing on their territory. And universities and colleges will make space available on their campus grounds where possible.
The document also includes plans to make the existing housing stock more efficient by encouraging house sharing and renting out rooms instead of entire homes. When there is a huge demand for student housing, like at the beginning of the academic year, it should become possible to accommodate students with host families or temporarily accommodate two students per room. The signatories also want to lay down better rules for dividing homes into smaller living units.
Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf of Education is pleased with the action plan, saying that the “major challenges” surrounding affordable student housing can really be tackled now that municipalities, educational institutions, and housing providers work together. He said it takes students a lot of time, stress, and energy to find an affordable room, if they can at all. “While a student room is so important. There you will find the peace and space to discover who you are and what you want to do with your life.”
