Dutch municipalities struggle to house large asylum-seeker families
Across the Netherlands, cities are having trouble finding homes for large asylum-seeker families, some with nine or more members, as more relatives wait to arrive, De Telegraaf reports.
In Delft, city officials reported that “very rarely are homes available for large asylum-seeker families,” leaving several families of more than seven members, including one family of nine, on the social housing waiting list. Delft has requested guidance from other municipalities, the province, the Association of Dutch Municipalities, and the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA).
The difficulty is not unique to Delft. A survey by De Telegraaf of five major and eight medium-sized municipalities, from Maastricht to Groningen and Eindhoven to Leeuwarden, found more than 170 large families of six or more waiting for housing.
“Some families are of such a size that they are practically difficult to house. Consider the number of bedrooms needed for a large family,” said the municipality of Groningen.
According to city officials in Zwolle, “Only if two (connected) homes are simultaneously available can a large family be placed,” noting such opportunities are “very, very exceptional” given the persistent shortage of social housing.
Several municipalities are adopting creative measures. In Amersfoort, a twelve-member family was split between two adjacent homes after no single dwelling could accommodate them. Dijk en Waard rapidly built a new neighborhood with larger homes for status holders. The Hague placed eleven people in a church-owned parochial house, and Groningen has explored converting empty church properties.
Municipalities are legally required to provide suitable, affordable housing for all status holders assigned to them. The national government sets the number of statusholders each municipality must accommodate every six months, and the COA assigns residents to local governments.
Many large families must wait several years for housing, and about a quarter of the spots in asylum centers are taken by status holders who are still waiting for permanent homes. Caretaker Asylum Minister Mona Keijzer has authorized placing some status holders in hotels within responsible municipalities to reduce the backlog.
Cost is another barrier. Maastricht is using a 2.5 million euro subsidy to reduce rent for nine large families over twelve years. Eindhoven and Amersfoort also reduced rents to meet affordability limits. The municipality of Oude IJsselstreek purchased a house for 469,000 euros to accommodate a ten-member family, including seven bedrooms and a large garden.
The number of family members awaiting reunification remains high. Nearly 53,000 relatives abroad are awaiting approval from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, adding pressure on local housing availability.
Rotterdam said it fulfilled its full legal quota last year, accommodating more than 1,000 status holders. Other municipalities managed to find housing for 165 large families in 2025.
