Amsterdam

1. Canal Ring: Amsterdam's famous canal ring, known as the "Grachtengordel," is a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, many visitors may not know that these canals were originally built in the 17th century to manage water and provide a transportation route, showcasing the city’s innovative engineering. 2. Cultural Events: Beyond the well-known King's Day and the Amsterdam Dance Event, the city hosts a variety of lesser-known cultural events such as the Amsterdam Light Festival, where artists from around the world create stunning light installations along the canals during the winter months. 3. Bicycle Culture: While tourists often notice the prevalence of bicycles, they might not be aware that Amsterdam has more bicycles than residents, with an estimated 880,000 bikes in the city. Cycling is deeply embedded in the city’s culture, with dedicated bike paths that make it one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

In Amsterdam, only about 29% of residents own their homes, while roughly 71% rent, reflecting a high rental share compared to most European cities. Renting is divided between social (public) and private sectors. Social housing, managed by private not-for-profit housing associations but overseen and subsidized by public policy, makes up about 37% of the housing stock. Liberalized (market-rate) rentals and private rentals have grown in recent years, with the liberalized sector now accounting for around 19% of homes. The median price to buy an apartment is about €8,350 per square meter in early 2025, with higher prices in the city center. The median rent for new leases in the private sector is approximately €27.30 per square meter per month. Public housing in Amsterdam refers mainly to social housing, which is not directly government-owned but provided by regulated associations aiming for affordability and accessibility for lower incomes. Social housing is thus a major component of public housing in the city. Besides, there is “middle rent” housing, capped between €700 and €1,000 monthly, targeting middle-income residents to bridge the gap between social housing and the free market. House prices in Amsterdam have slightly decreased in early 2025, with increased supply due to investor sell-offs, though the longer-term trend remains upward due to ongoing shortages and rising demand.

Amsterdam faces a deepening housing crisis, defined by severe shortages and unaffordable prices for both renters and buyers. By early 2025, the shortage in the Netherlands is estimated at around 420,000 homes, with Amsterdam as one of the worst-affected cities. Demand for housing consistently outpaces new construction, pushing prices to record highs. In 2024, average home prices in Amsterdam rose by about 10%, and further increases are forecast, although at a slower rate than the national average. Affordable housing is scarce, resulting in long waiting lists for social rentals—Amsterdam residents can wait up to seven years or more for these homes. Rapidly rising rents in the private sector put additional pressure on middle- and lower-income households, with rent increases reaching up to 5.4% year-on-year at the national level in 2024. Many Amsterdammers are forced to leave the city due to the lack of suitable and affordable homes. The crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable groups: young adults entering the housing market, middle-income earners who don’t qualify for social housing, people with migrant backgrounds, and those on social benefits or with disabilities. Economically homeless individuals—employed and with stable lives, but unable to find housing—number around 3,000 in Amsterdam, highlighting the breadth of the problem. Issues of discrimination, affordability, and accessibility compound the hardship for these groups, leading to increased homelessness and social segregation within the city.

Amsterdam’s city administration addresses affordable and sustainable housing through ambitious construction targets and programmatic interventions. The most recent policy sets a goal of building 7,500 new homes per year through 2028, with a required mix: 40% social rent, 40% middle-income housing, and 20% market-rate units. This is part of a broader long-term housing strategy that aims to ensure at least 30-35% of the city’s housing stock remains social housing, and to improve affordability and quality, particularly for lower and middle-income groups. Key activities and programs include the application of the new Dutch Affordable Rent Act, introducing rent controls for mid-range (“middensegment”) homes to cap prices and protect tenants. The city accelerates new construction by simplifying procedures and offering priority to developments with a high share of affordable units. Cooperatives and citizen-driven housing projects are promoted, providing opportunities for innovative, sustainable, and collectively-owned housing models. Sustainability is a core requirement: new and renovated homes must meet high environmental standards, including energy efficiency and circular building practices. Amsterdam also collaborates with housing associations and invests in retrofitting existing stock for better insulation and lower utility costs. Special attention is given to vulnerable groups, with urgency allocations, targeted social housing contracts, and dedicated “living deals” coordinated with the national government to realize sector goals until 2030. Despite these measures, actual construction lags behind targets, largely due to permit bottlenecks, cost inflation, and land shortages.

Housing cooperatives (wooncoöperaties) in Amsterdam are a small but increasingly prioritized part of the city’s housing strategy. Their current share of the total housing stock is low, with only a handful of operational projects, but the city has set ambitious goals: Amsterdam aims for 10% of all homes—around 50,000 units—to be owned or managed by cooperatives by 2040. This requires substantial growth, as most existing projects are recent and the sector remains in an experimental stage. Recent dynamics show growing interest, driven by both citizen initiatives and municipal support. The city has introduced concrete policy programs, such as the “Action Plan Housing Cooperatives,” which aims to deliver 15–20 new cooperative projects within four years, targeting 7,000 units by 2030. Support measures include facilitating access to land, creating a €50 million municipal loan fund to bridge financing gaps for cooperatives, and establishing a “cooperative standard” to ensure such projects remain collectively governed, affordable, and non-transferable. Cooperative housing is seen as a way to provide long-term affordable, sustainable homes, with emphasis on resident control and democratic management. However, significant obstacles remain, notably in finance and regulation, which hinder scaling. The city’s ongoing support and targeted interventions are intended to overcome these barriers and stimulate strong sector growth, but cooperatives currently represent only a very small fraction of Amsterdam’s housing market.