Maturation of the Dutch Social Housing Model and Perspectives for the Future

Abstract

The Dutch social rented sector has acquired an international reputation because of its social nature and the way it has evolved. With around 32 % of the total stock, the size of the sector is much bigger than in other western European countries. Also, the development of the sector after the Second World War is unique. The current position is determined by the specific structure of the Dutch welfare state and the country’s distinct housing policy. It is also the result of the shifting balance of supply and demand in the national housing policy. In this chapter, we explain the development of the Dutch social rented sector on the basis of the above-mentioned characteristics. We start with an international comparison regarding the position of the Dutch social rented sector. We will also pay attention to the background of the successful development of this sector: the financing system, the unique guarantee system, and the interplay between the central government and local housing associations. The chapter concludes with an exploration of the future of the social rented sector in the Netherlands. Due to all kinds of processes and developments, the social rented sector in the Netherlands is now at a crossroad, and important policy decisions have to be made.KeywordsWelfare StateHousing MarketSocial HousingHousing AssociationHousing ProductionThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.