Noord-Holland sees sharp rise in home construction, but targets still out of reach

The number of homes that have entered the construction phase in Noord-Holland has increased significantly since spring 2024, but the region is still falling short of its goals. Last autumn, the total stood at 18,600, with 19,000 expected by 2026.

According to the province, meeting the target of building 191,000 homes between 2022 and 2030 will require raising the construction pace to 23,500 homes annually. The region is currently 15,200 homes behind the commitments laid out in the Housing Deals, with most of the shortfall in affordable housing.

Noord-Holland added 14,900 new homes in 2024, a substantial rise compared with the previous year, according to the provincial Housing Monitor 2025. "I commend the efforts of municipalities, developers, and housing corporations, but we need to accelerate the pace even further," said Deputy Jelle Beemsterboer.

Delays are often caused by permit procedures. To tackle this, the province has launched the Housing Acceleration Desk, and a project management firm will assist municipalities. Solutions such as using a battery for projects that cannot be connected to the electricity grid, like a recent case in Zaandam, are also being considered.

According to the monitor, municipalities report that housing projects stall because of financial constraints, power grid congestion, or insufficient road infrastructure. The province evaluates each project individually to determine what support can help move it forward.

Noord-Holland has long prioritized addressing bottlenecks, actively supporting projects, and closely monitoring progress. The province also encourages municipalities to construct (parts of) homes in factories and has widened the options for building in protected landscapes.