News item | 14-02-2022 | 17:00
In order to take more control of the public housing task and the layout of the Netherlands, Minister Hugo de Jonge will present the National Housing and Construction Agenda with six underlying programs in the coming period. In this, housing construction, housing for focus groups and the elderly, quality of life and sustainability are worked out in more detail. In addition, two spatial programs are presented that examine the actual layout of the Netherlands and the choices that lie ahead in areas such as housing, infrastructure, nature, climate, energy and the economy.
This programmatic approach focuses more directly on concrete goals, monitoring and control. Based on this, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations can make sound agreements with the parties involved, whereby everyone takes their fair share in solving public housing and spatial issues.
Public housing
Housing is a priority for the cabinet. Due to the enormous scarcity, a fairer distribution of the living space is desired. With more direction and pace, housing construction will be increased to 100,000 homes per year during this cabinet term. In addition, there will also be more focus on the qualitative assignment: appropriate to the housing wishes and needs of people and as affordable as possible.
In the first half of March 2022, the National Housing and Construction Agenda and the Housing Construction program will be presented. This describes how housing construction is being accelerated and how the housing stock matches the housing needs. In addition to the Residential Building programme, work is being done on five programs relating to housing, affordability, quality of life and sustainability. At the beginning of April, the A home for everyone program will be launched, which focuses on housing for special groups. This is followed by the Affordable Housing programme, which focuses on limiting housing costs that are too high and protecting buyers and tenants against excesses in the housing market. The Sustainability of the Built Environment program addresses issues such as insulation and the heat transition. The Livability and Safety program is a long-term commitment to liveable and safe neighborhoods in the 16 vulnerable areas, so that a better perspective is created for residents in areas such as housing, education, poverty and health. In order to provide the increasing number of elderly people with suitable housing and to promote the flow of people in the housing market, a Housing and Elderly program will be set up.
Spatial Planning
In the Netherlands, there are several urgent questions that require space. In addition to building sustainable homes with space for work and recreation, the energy system must be made more sustainable and space is needed for a sustainable economy with growth opportunities. The Netherlands – especially in rural areas – also faces a complex and urgent task regarding nitrogen, nature development, climate and water. All these tasks require space. In order to regain control in spatial planning as well, two programs will be launched that will ultimately work towards tightening up the National Environmental Vision (NOVI). With the NOVI implementation programme, agreements are being made with fellow authorities and cooperation is being intensified, also focusing on the input of government land and active government land policy. The Beautiful Netherlands program focuses on spatial quality with attention to the energy transition, urbanization and the design of rural areas. Both programs will be presented by the summer, after which a start will be made in the autumn of 2022 with the tightening of the NOVI, which is expected to come into effect definitively in 2024.
More information
The letter to parliament of 14 February 2022 contains more information about the National Housing and Construction Agenda and the eight programs on public housing and spatial planning. The letter to parliament also briefly discusses overarching themes such as legislation, the role of housing associations in relation to the abolition of the landlord levy, the use of government real estate and capacity in the construction sector.