IVBN: From opposites to allies

October 24, 2025

^{This article was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.}

Election manifestos are full of extremes: from fierce opposition to mortgage interest relief to fundamental differences about who should take the lead in the mid-range rental market. But extremes do not solve the problem. The housing market needs balance.

By Judith Norbart, Director, IVBN

It is positive that the housing market is high on the agenda during election time. However, many of the proposed solutions overlook the complexity of the task we are facing. For years, international bodies such as the European Commission and the IMF have been warning about the dominance of mortgage interest relief. Yet this issue has been sidestepped until now. And those who want to give housing associations complete control over mid-range rents fail to recognise that large private investments are also needed to really get area developments and mid-range rents off the ground. Both extremes miss the point: the housing market requires joint action by the government and the market. The trick is not to choose extremes, but to choose balance.

Extremes miss the point

It is tempting to resort to extremes. Vienna, for example, is often held up as a shining example. But even that system is far from flawless: it appears to be socially minded, but creates inequality between those who are already in and those who want to join. In addition, there is a loss of quality, because strictly regulated rents discourage investment in maintenance and renovation.

The debate on mortgage interest relief also clearly shows how extremes ignore reality. While some argue for an immediate complete overhaul and others for its inviolability, neither is realistic. As with previous reforms, a gradual adjustment is much more obvious than drastic steps that could suddenly cause problems for millions of homeowners. The same applies to the idea that corporations are the exclusive answer to the housing market. That is also unrealistic, if only because of the major financial consequences of this choice.

Yes, extremes sound attractive during election time, but they ignore reality. The housing market does not require copying or simplification, but balance.

Towards an alliance

If extremes are not the answer, where does the solution lie? Not in polarisation, but in cooperation. Cooperation based on the shared belief that the government, housing associations and market parties must and can work together to achieve the goals. The National Housing Summit showed that the government, housing associations and market parties can make agreements and share ambitions. Such moments prove that a shared compass is certainly possible.

For real progress, the government and the market must therefore see each other as allies, not as opposites. Only with this division of roles can we build the long-term investments and stable rental market that the Netherlands needs. And that goes beyond stacking bricks: it requires mutual respect for possibilities and impossibilities, continuity and the realisation that we complement each other rather than replace each other.

From words to deeds

The government, corporations and market parties each have their own roles, resources and responsibilities, but only together can they get the housing market moving again. This requires preserving what works, improving what is necessary and, above all, stability.

Especially now, with a new government formation on the horizon, this realisation is crucial. Because extremes rarely produce workable solutions, neither in policy nor in politics. Only balance can pave the way to sustainable progress.