The Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) has backed a bill that would make it easier for a group of residents to start a housing co-operative.
It is hoped the bill, which now goes to the Senate, will ease the country’s housing crisis. Tabled by Socialist Party MP Sandra Beckerman (pictured), it gives housing co-ops “a broadly applicable and clear definition in the Housing Act”.
Beckerman is looking to add two new definitions to the Act – the management housing co-op, where residents manage the homes which are owned by a housing corporation, and the property housing co-op, where residents develop or purchase a home themselves.
The law would encourage municipal authorities to adopt policy on housing co-ops, in order to remove obstacles to starting housing co-ops.
This comes as the government is allocating €60m to make financing housing co-ops more accessible, with banks reluctant to offer mortgages to the sector because of a lack of clarity over whether they are lending to a business or a loose group of people.
Welcoming the news on its Instagram page, housing co-op network Cooplink said the MP’s vote was ”historic … Housing co-operatives are being recognised as a fully fledged third housing sector … A result to be proud of!
“The future is co-operative – and we’re building it together.”
The Netherlands Housing Cooperative Day will take place on 3 October 3 in Utrecht.
