Leiden politicians protest new social housing registration rules

A delegation of politicians led by SP Leiden has presented a petition containing 1,299 signatures to Jan Hoek, the director of Holland Rijnland Wonen. The petition protests new regulations regarding social housing waiting lists that went into effect on September 1.

Under the new rules, housing seekers who fail to pay an annual registration fee of 7.50 euros are removed from the waiting list. This removal can result in the loss of years of accumulated registration time, and the ability to file an objection against this action has also been eliminated.

Stefan Haas, the SP faction chair, criticized the measure as “disproportionate,” noting that missed payments could result from personal circumstances such as bereavement, mental health issues, or administrative errors. While Jan Hoek accepted the petition, he stated that the policy is determined by the Holland Rijnland region rather than the housing organization itself.