Affordable housing under pressure. EVE draws a line
- Jacques Offenbach
- Oct 29
- 2 min read
It came as a surprise: the Eindhoven city council wants to allow fewer affordable homes in new construction projects. A policy shift that goes against previous agreements, commitments, and stated principles. For EVE, this is incomprehensible.
On November 11, the city council will debate this issue and it promises to be a crucial discussion. Until recently, the agreement was clear: at least 85 percent of all new housing must be affordable, with 30 percent social housing. That 85 percent isn’t just a means, but a goal a vision for the kind of city we want to be. Once we start deviating from it, the boundaries shift, and inequality grows. Yet that’s exactly what the council is now proposing.
We all know how severe the housing crisis is. Teachers, healthcare workers, young people, and families are finding it increasingly difficult to secure a home in Eindhoven. The idea that more expensive housing will somehow lead to more affordable homes as supporters of this policy claim is a fantasy. If we open the door even slightly, it will become the new norm. That’s not the Eindhoven we stand for.
What does work
The debate about the 85 percent requirement distracts from the real problem: housing development is far too dependent on market conditions. And those conditions are currently poor, making it difficult for developers to make projects viable.
The only way to become less dependent on market forces is for the municipality to take back more control over housing development. This can be done by:
Buying and developing more land itself
Building more directly and initiating projects that developers can join, spreading risk
Investing in stalled projects together with the national government and private sector
Connecting housing corporations that want to build more affordable homes with developers
Speeding up and standardizing permit procedures wherever possible
Affordable housing is a right. That’s why EVE says: stick to the 85 percent. Speed up the process? Yes.
But don’t make home seekers pay the price.