News item | 13-05-2026 | 16:44
In 2025, hundreds of households on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba would receive lower rental costs. The islands also worked with the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO) on new homes, renovations and refurbishing vacant houses. This is evident from the Progress Report of the Policy Agenda for Housing and Spatial Planning for the Caribbean Netherlands that Minister Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan sent to the House of Representatives today.
€18 million for living in the Caribbean Netherlands
In 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (now BZK) has contributed a total of more than €18 million to improving public housing and spatial planning in the Caribbean Netherlands. For the period 2026 to 2030, the ministry has reserved €25 million for the construction of affordable housing. The government is also releasing almost €19 million in Short-Term Housing Construction (WoKT) resources to make new housing construction locations more accessible within five to eight years.
Actions to accelerate housing construction
To accelerate housing construction, the public bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba and the ministry have drawn up action lists. These action lists help to remove bottlenecks that slow down housing construction, such as the shortage of construction locations, financial resources and implementation capacity.
BES Housing Act and appropriate rules
The ministry and the islands are working on a BES Housing Act (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba). This law allows housing associations in the Caribbean Netherlands to participate in the housing association system, making them better able to contribute to the construction task. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba are also adjusting their home valuation systems. In this way, the rules for renting will be better aligned with changes in the housing market.
Bonaire: new housing construction locations
Bonaire invested in building new homes last year. With the help of the Public Housing Fund, Bonaire tackled residential areas in Rincon, Nort’i Saliña and Antriol.
The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment also made housing more affordable. In the social housing sector, 490 households received an average rent reduction of $351 per month. Households renting in the private sector also received a discount on their rental costs. This concerns about 500 households who paid an average of $464 less per month in rent.
Sint Eustatius: renovated and new social housing
Sint Eustatius received a loan without interest from the ministry to build 36 social rental homes. In addition, the island renovated 19 social housing units and started the construction of five apartments in the former Old School at the end of 2025.
The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment also took action to make housing more affordable. 111 households in the social housing sector received an average of $307 discount on their rent per month. For 44 households renting in the private sector, the rent reduction averaged $300 per month. Furthermore, housing association SHF installed solar panels on 37 social rental homes to reduce energy costs.
The board of Sint Eustatius decided in 2025 to set up a rental committee.
Saba: working on a larger housing stock
Saba received a no-interest loan from the ministry for the construction of seven affordable owner-occupied homes. The island also used the Public Housing Fund to renovate vacant homes in The Bottom so that they are habitable again. From this fund, Saba has also invested in a safe living environment by renovating 20 homes.
The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment helps 67 households in the social rental sector with rental burden relief of an average of $187 per month. Similar assistance will also be offered to lower income households in the private rental sector.
