Housing

I increasingly hear from students, first-time buyers, and young families that they are living outside Eindhoven due to the housing shortage. Because of the scarcity, prices are rising, and homes are only accessible to higher income groups. Low- and middle-income earners are being pushed out to the surrounding municipalities. People who were sometimes already at a disadvantage are thus becoming further removed from their work, friends, and family. They are saddled with high travel costs and are less connected to their social networks: bad for both people and the environment.

If we, as the government, do not establish regulations and do not steer the construction of affordable homes, the market will build more expensive homes. After all: there is a shortage of housing, so the property will be rented out anyway. People are forced to settle for a more expensive home. An affordable roof over your head is a necessity; strong regulation is therefore necessary!

In Eindhoven, we are working hard to realize affordable homes. We are making every effort to achieve our goals, however, we are not achieving our goals. Moreover, the objective does not align with actual needs. As far as I am concerned, income should not determine where you want to live. Eindhoven must think bigger and dare to undertake larger construction projects to reduce the shortage of housing. If that fails? Then we must curb economic growth. See also the topic 'Growth of the city' for more on this.

Housing construction is more than just stacking bricks. We are building pleasant, livable neighborhoods with plenty of greenery, space for social interaction, and high-quality amenities. Because Eindhoven is built up to its municipal boundaries and we want to preserve our green outer areas, we must focus on densification in the form of adding extra floors, splitting properties, and building mid-rise and high-rise buildings. I have submitted an initiative proposal regarding this, which has been approved.

Furthermore, I am committed to supporting housing cooperatives. This is a form of collective living, with residents having a say in their immediate living environment. I truly see this as an opportunity to realize more affordable homes that are not used as investments but benefit the community. At the same time, we combat loneliness and foster a sense of togetherness!