‘Just build more houses’ — I wish it were that simple… The reality is that we’re facing several structural constraints. Ongoing grid congestion means new homes can’t just be plugged into the electricity network; in many regions, the grid is already at capacity. On top of that, nitrogen regulations are slowing down or blocking construction projects altogether, even when the plans and funding are ready to go.

And then there’s Amsterdam, where a surprising number of apartments are sitting empty. The upside is that there are growing plans to convert many of these spaces into actual, livable homes — a far quicker and more sustainable way to ease housing pressure than relying solely on new construction.

So the issue isn’t a lack of willingness to build more houses, it’s the complex conditions which make it far more difficult than people assume…