Hoorn Leads in Building Social Housing Units

Hoorn forerunner in the number of built social housing units

85 percent of Dutch municipalities are falling short in constructing an adequate number of social housing units, according to research by the Woonbond. However, Hoorn is an exception to this trend. From early 2020 to mid-2024, 610 social housing units were completed in Hoorn, adding a total of 1610 homes to the city. This means that 38 percent of all new constructions were designated as rental properties, with social housing units representing 29 percent of the total housing in Hoorn. The municipality of Hoorn anticipates delivering an additional 5,000 new homes by 2030, with over 30 percent of these being social housing units, placing Hoorn among the few municipalities meeting national targets.

Municipal Efforts Towards Affordable Housing

Hoorn emphasizes the importance of having an adequate supply of high-quality social housing units. A significant portion of Hoorn's 9,800 rental properties are managed by the housing corporation Intermaris. Intermaris, together with the tenants' association De Boog and the municipality, has set goals for the period 2021-2025 to increase the availability of affordable rental housing and maintain or enhance the quality of existing homes.

National Housing Shortage

There is a widespread shortage of social housing units across the country, leading to extensive waiting lists for prospective tenants. To address this issue, the government aims for at least 30 percent of new constructions to be designated as social housing units, while the current national average stands at approximately 26 percent. Minister Mona Keijzer is preparing legislation that would empower her to compel municipalities to meet the 30 percent social housing threshold.

Accelerating Housing Development

Wethouder Marjon van der Ven has been a driving force behind expediting housing development in Hoorn for several years. She energetically fosters collaborations with stakeholders such as housing corporations and property developers through the Woningmakers Westfriesland program. Furthermore, she represents the interests of Westfriesland in various acceleration initiatives, including dialogues with North Holland North, the province of North Holland, and the national government. Marjon van der Ven stated,