European Commission launches Housing Advisory Board
The European Commission has announced a new initiative aimed at improving housing policy in Europe: the establishment of the Housing Advisory Board. The Board will consist of up to 15 independent experts who will be appointed to develop policy recommendations for the upcoming European Affordable Housing Plan. The Commission is...
Households generally satisfied with their homes, but challenges remain
Dutch households are generally satisfied with their homes. Recent research shows that, on average, residents give their homes a solid pass grade. Nevertheless, many people face difficulties in realizing their housing preferences, particularly due to long waiting lists for social housing and the high costs in the private rental and...
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam launches Housing Lab
On Wednesday, March 19, the Housing Lab will be launched during the symposium "Investeren in Volkhuisvesting” (Dutch spoken), organized by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (Centraal Planbureau). The Housing Lab is an initiative by Vrije Universiteit researchers Hans Koster and Jan Rouwendal. Bundling Research Hans Koster, Professor of...
New research: Effects of temporary rental contracts
Between 2016 and 2023 temporary rental contracts were allowed in the Netherlands. The maximum duration of stay under such a contract was two years. The purpose of introducing such contracts was to improve the functioning of the housing market. What have been the effects of these contracts? That is the...
Drug consumption rooms reduce crime and lead to an increase in house prices
Drug consumption rooms lead to a significant reduction in drug use and drug-related crime, as evidenced by research from VU Amsterdam professor of Urban Economics and Real Estate, Hans Koster, and Sofia Franco (University of California – Irvine). What’s also striking is that in neighbourhoods with these spaces, house prices...
The price of impatience: Why being patient when selling your home pays off
What would you do? Say you're about to move, but your current home hasn't sold yet. Do you opt for a low asking price, which means a quick sale at a low(er) but acceptable price? Or do you opt for a higher asking price and wait for higher bids? Hans...
New research: The effects of Greenbelt policy in England
An article on ‘The welfare effects of Greenbelt policy – Evidence from England’, authored by Hans Koster, is forthcoming in the Economic Journal. The central research question driving this article revolves around the debate concerning whether imposing restrictions on urban expansion is a good idea or not. Green areas around cities...
Lack of affordable housing? Simply building more is not the only solution
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...