1. Bicycle Culture: Amsterdam is renowned for its extensive cycling infrastructure, with more bicycles than residents. However, what many may not know is that the city has a unique "bicycle graveyard" where abandoned bikes are collected, and some are even repurposed into art installations. 2. Underground Canals: While the canals above ground are famous, Amsterdam also has a network of underground canals. These hidden waterways were used historically for transport and drainage, and some parts can still be explored today on special guided tours. 3. The Secret Garden: Tucked away behind the busy streets, the Begijnhof is one of the oldest inner courts in the city, featuring a beautiful garden and historical buildings. This peaceful oasis is often overlooked by visitors and offers a glimpse into the city's medieval past.
Amsterdam's housing market remains challenging, especially for first-time buyers and young families. The city continues to experience price increases due to a persistent housing shortage and declining mortgage rates. As of 2024, the average selling price per square meter in Amsterdam stands at €8,222, with apartments averaging €583,000. The city has approximately 480,000 housing units. The ownership structure is divided between 31.6% owner-occupied and 68.4% rental housing. Social housing plays a significant role, with housing corporations owning about 40% of the total stock (192,000 dwellings). The social housing sector, including both corporation-owned and privately-owned units, accounts for 46.8% of the total housing stock. Recent data shows the median price to rent in Amsterdam is around €23.50 per square meter per month, while the median price to buy is approximately €7,963 per square meter. Cooperative housing, though not as prevalent as social housing, is being actively promoted by the city council. They have created a €50 million loan fund to support housing cooperatives and are allocating land plots for 15 to 20 cooperative projects. The city estimates that 7,000 cooperative housing dwellings could be developed by 2030. Public and social housing continue to play a crucial role in Amsterdam's housing market, helping to maintain affordability in an increasingly expensive city.
The Amsterdam city administration is actively addressing housing challenges through ambitious targets and innovative programs. The municipality pledged to build 52,500 homes by the end of 2025, with a focus on increasing social and affordable housing. The Amsterdam Approach to Public Housing (AAV) initiative aims to achieve this goal through collaboration between the city government, housing corporations, and citizens. Amsterdam has committed to building a circular economy, aiming to halve the use of new raw materials by 2030 and be fully circular by 2050. This policy, based on "doughnut economics," considers the impact of construction on both humanity and the planet. The city's Woonagenda 2025 policy sets targets for new housing construction: 40% social rent, 40% mid-segment rent and sales, and 20% market-rate rent and sales. The administration is also working to maintain a level of 35% social housing in the overall housing stock across Amsterdam's 22 areas. To support cooperative housing projects, Amsterdam City Hall introduced a plan in 2020 to make these cooperatives constitute 10% of all new housing stock. This has enabled innovative projects like "De Torteltuin," which combines affordable living with sustainability and community engagement. The city is also implementing measures to reduce lead times for housing projects, streamline building regulations, and provide financial support to municipalities for housing development.
Housing cooperatives are gaining prominence in Amsterdam as a solution to the city's housing crisis. The city aims to have 10% of its housing stock owned by cooperatives within 25 years. To promote this model, Amsterdam launched the "Action Plan Housing Cooperatives" in 2020, targeting 7,000 cooperative housing units by 2030, with 50% as new buildings through the Zelfbouw program. The city supports cooperatives by allocating land plots under indefinite lease for 15 to 20 projects and creating a €50 million loan fund. Rents in these cooperatives are expected to be more affordable than private market rates, ranging from €600 to €1,010 per unit. Notable cooperative projects include: 1. De Torteltuin: A student-initiated project in IJburg, featuring a carbon-neutral building with communal spaces and rooftop solar panels. 2. De Nieuwe Meent: One of Amsterdam's first pilot projects, comprising 40 social co-housing units in Amsterdam-Oost, based on collective ownership and sustainability principles. 3. De Warren: A newbuild project on Centrumeiland with 36 affordable rental apartments and extensive communal spaces, built using sustainable materials and energy-efficient technologies. These initiatives demonstrate Amsterdam's commitment to fostering community-driven, sustainable, and affordable housing solutions through cooperative models.
