On shaky grounds: The case for the privatization of the public housing sector in the Netherlands

The research reported on is Project 44 of the STEPRO research program of the Institute of Geographical Research IRO of the University of Utrecht. The project was supported by grant SRO 530-242-016 from the Dutch National Science Foundation ZWO. We want to thank the provincial directorate of the Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environmental Protection in Noord-Brabant for his help. A first draft of this article was discussed at the conference ‘Housing between State and Market’ in Dubrovnik in September 1988.     

Netherlands housing in the 1990s: A civilized matter?

Conclusion The viewpoint of the cities is very different from that of the Secretary of State for Housing. This can be clearly seen in how these two parties develop a housing policy. And their differences translate into highly divergent consequences for the level of rent. Clearly, it will prove no easy matter to marry these opposing parties. The suggestions put forward by the Secretary of State have also been criticized by other voices, and alternative proposals have been made. Various Dutch political parties have presented their ideas on the question of housing, and bodies such as the Dutch Trades Unions, the Association of Dutch Local Councils, housing associations and tenants' associations have written recommendations and held public enquiries on the topic. Let us hope that despite the enormous differences in attitude, there will be a gradual drawing together. The housing branch covers a large areait needs to increase by at least one million dwellings, and to improve existing dwellings by the expenditure of at least 30 thousand million and at most 60 billion guilders. A joint effort from the bodies involved in housing is now urgently needed. The cities have made their ideas abundantly clear and the research carried out by the University of Delft, has shown that these plans are financially viable.     

Commercial rented housing: two sectors in the Netherlands

This contribution analyses the different developments and roles of two commercial rented sectors in the Netherlands: rented dwellings owned by individuals (private landlords) and rented dwellings owned by institutional investors. Characteristics of properties and households are specified in relation to tenure. An analysis follows of household characteristics of non-movers and movers to, from and within the commercial rented sector. Some policy issues are dealt with, which are relevant for the commercial rented sector. The commercial rented dwellings owned by persons are predominantly pre-war, small, cheap dwellings with a modest quality. They form part of the urban renewal problem. The owners are small-scale landlords, mostly not professional, who do not invest in ambitious renovation or new dwellings. For this sector the future is not very bright. For starters on the housing market and elderly people, this urban sector may have a limited function. The commercial rented dwellings owned by institutions are predominantly post-war (built after 1960), spacious, expensive dwellings with a high quality. The owners are pension funds and insurance companies which sell their properties often after 15 to 20 years when conditions are favourable. This sector has a strategic function at the upper side of the rental market where rents are decontrolled. Well-to-do households in a flexible urban labour market and elderly people are the most important target groups for this sector. This sector demonstrates how a free rental market functions and enriches the whole housing sector with relevant market signals. Hugo Priemus holds the chair in housing at Delft University of Technology, where he is also managing director of OTB Research Institute for Housing, Urban and Mobility Studies.     

Leaving home in the Netherlands: Timing and first housing

Successive birth cohorts have left the parentalhome at an accelerating pace in the earlypost-war decades in the Netherlands. A secondtrend, starting later but lasting longer, isthat people increasingly leave the parentalhome to live alone. Both trends have hadimplications for the housing market as theycontributed to the continuation of the housingshortage and generated a shift in the type ofaccommodation in which young adults start theirhousing career: an independent rented dwelling,shared accommodation, or home-ownership. Inthis contribution we set out to unravel boththe causes of the changing pattern ofhome-leaving between successive cohorts and therelation with the housing market entry insuccessive periods.The main hypothesis is that educationalexpansion was a major cause of the shift in themix of motives between cohorts, accounted forthe accelerating pace of home-leaving, and alsoaffected the type of housing market entry. Theempirical results support this hypothesis butalso show that the educational expansion doesnot provide a full explanation for eitherphenomenon. Union formation in particular isinvariably also determined by the employmentstatus of the male partner. Leaving home tolive alone, on the other hand, is lesssensitive to the individual income but isclearly stimulated by ample parental resources.In housing choice, the opportunity structureprovides an extra explanation. The wider accessto independent rental accommodation, forinstance, reduces the pent-up demand for sharedaccommodation that results from the educationalexpansion.     

Decentralisation in the public housing sector in Sweden

In 1981 SABO (The Swedish Association of Municipal Housing Companies), which is the interest organization for housing companies in the public housing sector in Sweden, launched a new policy for organization and working methods in housing management. The core of the new ideas was decentralisation and reduced distance between the management of housing companies and tenants. However, SABO companies decide on their own internal affairs. This paper examines organizational developments in the sector in the early eighties. The research problem is to study whether any structural changes have taken place in accordance with the new policy. The material consists of a questionnaire to the companies. The analysis shows that major structural changes have taken place. In addition an explorative study is made of various factors which may have contributed to the process. The authors suggest an interpretation of the development in a motive‐means perspective in which the exposed position of the sector and the evident shortcomings of earlier working methods were the companies’ motives for change and in which new knowledge and new ideas were their chief means.     

Statistics on housing and construction in the Netherlands

This column was prepared by Marion Hofmans and Pieter Everaers of the Central Bureau of Statistics (Statistics Netherlands, CBS), Heerlen. They work at the sectors of Socio-Economic Surveys and Socio-Cultural Surveys, respectively (telephone+31(45)-707262 or+31(45)-707477). More detailed information is available in publications of the CBS and upon request. The column in the journal is coordinated by Pieter Everaers.     

Statistics on housing and construction in the Netherlands

This column was prepared by the Department of Income and Consumption, Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Heerlen (telephone +31-45-707477). More detailed information is available in publications of the CBS and upon request.     

Statistics on housing and construction in the Netherlands

This column is composed by the Sector Sociocultural Household Statistics Netherlands. The contribution for this issue was prepared by Pieter Everaers and Hub Janssen, who may be contacted at Statistics Netherlands, Heerlen (telephone +31 45 5 70 74 77 or +31 45 5 70 74 75). More detailed information is available in publications of Statistics Netherlands and on request.     

Statistics on housing and construction in the Netherlands

This column was prepared by the Department of Income and Consumption, Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Heerlen (telephone +31(45)-707477). More detailed information is available in publications of the CBS and upon request.