Rotterdam Leaders Call for 'Old-Fashioned Public Housing'
In Rotterdam, there's a growing political call to return to "ouderwetse volkshuisvesting," or old-fashioned public housing. A recent social media post from a local group reflects a sentiment that current market-based solutions are failing and a more direct, state-led approach is needed.
The debate in Rotterdam is anchored in the city's new "Woonvisie" (Housing Vision), a policy document shaping housing development until 2040. Adopted in March 2024, the plan was supported by a coalition including VVD, D66, Leefbaar Rotterdam, and DENK. A key and contentious goal of this vision is to keep the absolute number of social housing units "op peil," or at its current level, while focusing new construction on middle-segment housing. Opposition parties, including the PvdA, GroenLinks, and the Socialist Party (SP), fiercely contested this approach, arguing it is inadequate in the face of a severe housing crisis. In the Rotterdam region, there are an estimated 86,000 active seekers for social housing, with average waiting times extending to 5.5 years. These parties, along with others, unsuccessfully submitted numerous motions to increase the number of affordable homes during the city council debate. The call for "ouderwetse volkshuisvesting" reflects a national sentiment from parties like the combined GroenLinks-PvdA faction, which advocates for treating housing as a public task rather than a market commodity. This approach would involve a larger role for housing corporations in developing both affordable rental and owner-occupied homes, financed through public investment and favorable loans, moving away from purely market-driven solutions. In Rotterdam, the local PvdA and GroenLinks branches have organized public discussions specifically on the topic of "volkshuisvesting," signaling a push to recenter public and non-profit control over housing. The local SP supports activist groups like "Recht op de Stad" (Right to the City), which are highly critical of the new housing vision, arguing it offers no real perspective for those on waiting lists. The current city government, under the leadership of Alderperson for Housing Chantal Zeegers (D66), defends the Woonvisie by emphasizing the need for more middle-income housing to create "mixed neighborhoods" and prevent the departure of essential workers to surrounding municipalities. The policy also focuses on improving the quality and sustainability of the existing housing stock and tackling abuses in the private rental market. This political schism highlights a fundamental disagreement on housing policy. Right-leaning parties like Leefbaar Rotterdam focus on giving locals priority for available housing and ensuring neighborhood "liveability." Meanwhile, left-leaning parties argue that the only solution to the affordability crisis is a significant, state-led expansion of the social housing stock, reminiscent of the Netherlands' post-war public housing drive.
