Netherlands advisory council urges sweeping housing market reforms

The College of the Rijksbouwmeester and Rijksadviseurs (CRa) presented a report titled "Thuis in de toekomst" containing six recommendations to tackle the Dutch housing crisis. It calls for a fairer system that strengthens the position of the least advantaged, makes access to homes more equitable, and channels rising land values toward societal goals. Key policy proposals include limiting the mortgage‑interest deduction, raising the own‑home tax (eigenwoningforfait), taxing multiple home ownership more heavily and using the proceeds to fund a housing‑security pool for vulnerable groups, and considering a profit tax on the resale gain of second homes. The council also advocates for greater public control, more affordable rental housing, and the expansion of collective living arrangements such as cohousing groups, senior‑care homes and mixed‑use developments. It envisions that by 2050 Dutch cities and rural areas will feature prefabricated, lightweight timber constructions, biobased insulation, and multifunctional neighborhoods that combine housing with food production, care facilities and work spaces.