The municipality of Amstelveen, located in the Netherlands, has made significant strides in combating housing vacancy since launching their initiative on September 1, 2022. This move was necessitated by the pressing housing shortage affecting the region. Councillor for Housing Adam Elzakalai announced on February 28, 2025, the results of this multifaceted program to tackle the issue at hand, highlighting the noticeable reduction of administratively empty homes.
According to Elzakalai, there has been substantial progress: "Wij blijven actief leegstand opsporen en gaan door met maatregelen tegen lange leegstand van woningen," meaning they will continue their active search for vacancies and implement measures against long-term empty homes. Originally, the initiative identified 870 properties as being administratively vacant. Recent investigations have shown this figure has decreased to 745 homes currently listed as unoccupied, impacting the very fabric of residential life.
The proactive assessment team, consisting of members from the municipality, has visited over 1,520 addresses during this period. Out of these, 959 properties have undergone thorough assessments, and most of those are no longer categorized as empty. Elzakalai noted, "Van deze huidige administratieve leegstand zijn er 210 die mogelijk echt leegstaan. Van deze 210 zijn er momenteel 34 in actief onderzoek," which translates to stating there are 210 homes potentially truly empty, with 34 actively under investigation.
This substantial operation demands extensive resources and personnel commitment to effectively monitor housing vacancies and engage property owners. Amstelveen has developed strict reporting requirements for landlords, mandatorily notifying the municipality whenever their properties exceed six months of vacancy. This procedure is part of their broader efforts to bolster housing utilization and curb the trend of long-standing empty homes.
Elzakalai elaborated on the responsibilities of homeowners: "Na zes maanden leegstand van een woning is er de meldingsplicht voor eigenaren," or after six months of vacancy, landlords must report this to the authorities. This dialogue will result in discussions about how to bring these properties back to life and back to the market, effectively addressing the homelessness and housing scarcity crisis.
To deter long-term vacants, residents are encouraged to report properties they notice standing empty for longer than six months, utilising the 'Actie Schijnwerper' portal on their official website. The municipality is prepared to take administrative actions against property owners failing to report such situations.
Under current regulations, if it is discovered by the authorities after six months of vacancy without notification, the municipality may invoke penalties. Elzakalai stated firmly: "Indien de gemeente dit constateert kunnen wij bestuurlijke instrumenten inzetten," which translates to indicating they can employ administrative measures if landowners do not comply with vacancy regulations.
With the city's enhanced efforts, the approach aims to create not only regulatory compliance but also encourage landlords to actively seek tenants for their unused homes. Moving forward, as of this year, enforcement measures will also include potential fines for any violation of reporting obligations related to property vacancies.
Elzakalai concluded with optimism about tackling the underlying issues of housing shortages, indicating, "Het tekort aan woningen in Amstelveen is heel groot. Daarom vinden we het belangrijk om bestaande woningen goed te benutten," meaning the need for housing is vast, and ensuring existing units are occupied is of utmost importance.
The initiative appears to be making tangible impacts on the community, as the municipality vows to maintain pressure on vacant homes, leveraging precise legislative tools and dialogues to convert empty properties back to residential use. With the goal of enhancing the living standards of Amstelveen’s community, the plan emphasizes sustainability and efficient use of housing resources well beyond the current evaluation period.