News item | 10-05-2023 | 12:00
Municipalities that want to purchase flexible homes in the short term via the tender of the Central Government Real Estate Agency can still apply. In the coming months, the homes that have been put out to tender by the Central Government Real Estate Agency will be delivered to nine flexible builders.
The municipality of Delft has demonstrated that it can be done quickly, which has realized 84 flexible homes (2 plots) within a few months. The first residents will move in next month. Leeuwarden has indicated that it wants to purchase 4 plots. Contract talks are underway with a number of other buyers. At the moment, a total of 16 plots have been reserved for municipalities and 9 plots for the COA. 17 plots are still available, which amounts to 714 homes. Dozens of discussions are currently being held for the placement of these homes, but the starting point remains: first come, first served. Municipalities and corporations can report this to the Central Government Real Estate Agency. The plots will be delivered in the coming months or are at a distribution location at the manufacturer or the Central Government Real Estate Agency.
The flex homes can be used to provide living space to residents who urgently need a home. The realization of flexible homes is one of the fastest ways to break the impasse of the housing shortage. Flexible homes also use temporary locations that are not suitable for regular housing. The homes are for all home seekers, but are mainly used for people who urgently need a roof over their heads.
The tender of the Central Government Real Estate Agency aims to increase and accelerate the construction capacity of flex homes in order to provide a roof over the head for anyone who is urgently looking for a home. The acceleration is due to the parallel linking of the tender and the submission of locations by municipalities and corporations. The starting point is that housing associations purchase the homes from the Central Government Real Estate Agency after the purchase. In addition, large-scale purchasing via one real estate organization with purchasing expertise has offered the possibility of standardization, which shortens delivery times.
As the Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning indicated in the letter to the House of Representatives of 2 May, practice has turned out to be more unruly. Although the procedures for flex homes are faster than for regular construction, other hurdles sometimes prove more difficult to overcome. Investigations, connection to infrastructure and local residents who object means that dozens of municipalities are interested but do not proceed to purchase.
Because municipalities and corporations are not always able to complete the business case properly, the ministry has various instruments. There is one to extend the operating period financial relocation guarantee available where the central government, in addition to the municipality and corporations, assumes a large part of the financial risk. In addition, municipalities can also appeal to the Housing Attention Groups Scheme or, after the summer, to the first tranche of the new incentive scheme for flexible homes and transformations. Municipalities and corporations that want to be helped in investigating the possibilities and financing for flex homes can report to Implementing organization Acceleration of Temporary Housing.