More Student Housing in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is facing a growing shortage of student housing, while demand among young people remains high. With this amendment, submitted by Juliet Broersen in collaboration with other councillors, it is proposed to free up additional funds to explore how the construction of student housing can be restarted. The aim is to generate short-term insights and provide an extra impulse for new developments.
Proposal
According to data from Kamernet, the supply of student housing in the city decreased by 27% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This is concerning, especially because many young people are therefore forced to continue living with their parents. High rents and limited availability make it difficult to find a room. At the same time, this also affects students who do not have an official residential address. They sometimes face practical issues, for example with registration or access to healthcare, and may experience financial disadvantages because they are not eligible for an out-of-home student grant. It can also mean they are less able to vote in the municipality where they actually live.
In addition, demand for non-self-contained student housing, rooms in shared houses or buildings, is very high, while supply remains limited. To address this, the city council proposes to use a one-off €3 million from the general reserve in 2026. This reserve functions as the municipality’s financial “savings” and is above the required threshold, which creates room to allocate part of it.
With this funding, the municipality aims to give an impulse to the construction of student housing. In 2026, a study will therefore be launched into how the development of especially non-self-contained student housing can be better stimulated. It will also explore whether there are projects where an additional financial contribution from the municipality could make the difference, allowing construction plans to actually get underway.
The College of Mayor and Aldermen will present the results of this study to the City Council before 1 March 2026. After that, the €3 million can be used to implement the outcomes of the research and contribute to increasing the supply of student housing in the city.