How to handle the lack of affordable housing in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area? Simply building more is not the only solution, according to Henri de Groot in the Dutch AT5 tv programme Bouw Woon Leef. We need to look at a more fair distribution of the number of square meters in a city, he says. ‘Single elderly people living in (too) large family homes are willing to move, but are unable to find a suitable owner-occupied home in their neighbourhood’. Tackling this problem may create room for young people.
In addition, Henri de Groot sees other solutions: ‘There is a huge opportunity in a good coordination between municipalities within the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. Furthermore, he sees potential in the field of new construction: ‘We can build to the highest sustainability standards’.