Woonnood

Woonnood, or housing emergency, is a term used to describe a sustained shortage of affordable and adequate housing that affects individuals and households. It encompasses long waiting times for social housing, insufficient rental stock, overcrowding, homelessness, and the need to relocate to less desired areas. The concept is common in Dutch policy discourse and refers to a chronic imbalance in the housing market rather than a temporary shortage.

The main causes are a mismatch between housing supply and demand: slow construction of affordable rental housing, planning constraints that limit development, rising construction and financing costs, and population growth concentrated in urban areas. Demand is intensified by income stagnation for lower-income households, high rents relative to earnings, and changes in household composition. External factors such as energy prices and inflation can further reduce affordability.

Woonnood increases the risk of overcrowding, energy poverty, longer commutes, social segregation, and, in extreme cases, homelessness. It disproportionately affects low-income households, students, and vulnerable groups, and can lead to geographic displacement as people move to areas with fewer services or lower costs.

Indicators used to monitor woonnood include the length of social housing waiting lists, the share of income spent on housing, vacancy rates for affordable units, homelessness counts, and geographic variation in housing availability. These metrics help guide policy and resource allocation.

Policy responses seek to increase the supply of affordable housing, improve allocation mechanisms, and reduce homelessness. Tools include easing planning restrictions to speed up construction, targeted subsidies or housing allowances, and programs that prevent eviction and provide temporary housing. In the Netherlands, wohnnood is a central focus of urban housing policy, with ongoing discussions about expanding social housing stock and reforming planning and rental regulations.