Dutch Social Housing System

In “The People’s Housing: Woningcorporaties and the Dutch Social Housing System,” a two-part study published by the Joint Center for Housing Studies, I examine the Dutch social housing system, showing how its design enables housing associations to sustain their operating budget with rental income and self-finance new social housing developments. In the history paper, I describe the evolution of this more than century-old system; in the mechanics paper, I examine the institutional structure, governance relationships, and financing mechanisms that characterize the Dutch system, which I believe could prove inspirational for countries around the world looking to address affordable housing crises. The two papers describe a complex and dynamic system that is under-documented in English. My hope is that together, the two papers will make the innovations of the Dutch social housing system accessible to a broader, international audience.