Column: “The hidden consequences of the housing crisis”

How do you build a future when you do not even know when you will have a home of your own? For many people in the Netherlands, this is not a theoretical question but a daily reality. While the housing crisis has been a topic of discussion for years, people are still waiting for a place where they can build an independent life.

I know from personal experience that having a home of your own is not something everyone can take for granted. I, too, did not get my own place until later in life. That is precisely why it affects me when I see how many people are struggling in the housing market. Having a home of your own gives you the freedom to make your own choices and pursue your plans for the future. It is an important step towards independence.

For many people, that step remains out of reach. Young people who want to live independently are forced to stay with their parents. Couples cannot move forward with their plans for the future, and families who need more space struggle to find suitable housing. As a result, important milestones in life are sometimes put on hold for years.

When I think back to the past, I remember that housing authorities were sometimes able to allocate homes much more quickly than seems common today. They would consider a person's housing situation, and in some cases, people could be offered a home within a few months. Circumstances were different back then, of course, but it raises an important question: how has a country like the Netherlands reached a point where people sometimes have to wait ten or eleven years for a home?

Part of the solution lies in taking a closer look at the types of homes people need. Consider older people who live in large houses but would prefer to move into smaller accommodation. If enough affordable senior housing were available, they could move more easily. The homes they leave behind could then become available to families who need more space. This would not solve the housing shortage entirely, but it could improve the flow of people through the housing market. Of course, we must also ensure that enough affordable homes are built for first-time buyers, single people and other housing seekers.

However, the construction of new homes continues to face obstacles. Nitrogen regulations and environmental restrictions can hinder the granting of permits and the development of housing. At the same time, we must take proper care of nature and our living environment. This requires careful consideration and practical solutions, but it must not lead to a situation where nothing moves forward.

What concerns me is that different parties keep pointing fingers at one another. Some blame agriculture, while others point to traffic or aviation. As discussions continue about regulations, interests and responsibilities, people are left waiting. For them, another debate does not provide a home.

Of course, there are no simple solutions. But when everyone acknowledges a problem and the solution continues to elude us, something more than new plans is needed. We have the right to expect politicians to make decisions, take responsibility and work with local authorities and housing associations to ensure that more suitable, affordable homes are actually built. We should expect those in leadership not only to acknowledge the scale of the problem but also to demonstrate what steps they are taking and what those steps achieve. Promises mean little to people searching for a home when nothing changes afterwards.

Society is also trying to help. Families, churches and community organisations support people who cannot find suitable accommodation. This deserves recognition, but such assistance cannot solve the structural housing shortage. What is needed is an approach that gives people a realistic prospect of having a home of their own. Ultimately, we should not judge the housing crisis solely by the number of homes available, waiting lists or construction plans. Behind those figures are people who want to move forward with their lives. A young person who wants to become independent, someone who wants to move in with their partner, or a family looking for more space.

Looking back on my own life, I realise just how much of a difference having a home of your own can make. That is why I find it difficult to accept that so many people today have to wait so long for one.

Have you ever stopped to consider what it would do to you if you could not find suitable housing for years? If important decisions in your life had to be postponed time and time again because you had no idea when things might change?

For many people, this is not an imaginary situation but their daily reality. That is why we should not only ask ourselves how many homes the Netherlands is short of, but also what this shortage is doing to people.

Because the housing crisis is not just about homes that do not exist, but also about lives that cannot move forward.

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