Domplein Saturday May 10 at 2:00 PM.

We are fed up with the annual rent increases! After the unprecedented rent increases of last year, we can expect significant increases again this year. A huge rent explosion threatens all tenants. On May 10 at 2:00 PM, the housing movement, a coalition of tenant organizations, residents groups and activists, will demonstrate for lower rents.

In 2025, tenants can expect a rent increase of up to 5% in the social sector, 7.7% in the mid-range rental sector and 4.1% in the private sector. After the highest rent increase in 30 years in 2024, another mega rent increase will follow in 2025! The reprehensible income-related rent increases of €50 or €100 will also be maintained. While our wages have been and are being kept low for decades, the rent has increased enormously. These were the years in which housing was turned into a market. A quarter of tenants live below the poverty line and another large part cannot make ends meet financially, partly as a result of the excessively high rent. They have to cut back on basic needs in order to be able to pay the housing costs. With this policy, we are perpetuating inequality, insecurity of existence and the housing crisis. We demand lower rents!

In this newsletter:

Invitation BPW Members Day March 15, 2:00 PM, Basic Contemporary Art (BAK) in Utrecht.
Workshop 'Poldered out: what does the housing struggle movement do?', 2dh5 festival, Amsterdam, March 2, 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM.
Webinar: Self-organization and action planning, March 6, 7:30 PM.
Knowledge and tools in the BPW Member Portal.
Save the date: demonstration for rent reduction, May 10 at 2:00 PM in Utrecht.

SUN 2 March, 13:30 – 14:45, Ru Paré, Amsterdam | The already serious housing crisis is only getting worse. Rents and house prices continue to rise, and the lack of affordable housing is increasing. We now have a government that only wants to serve the interests of the real estate sector and home buyers, and mainly offers scapegoat politics and repression for those who disagree. The opposition in parliament seems toothless and powerless.

On January 29, we took action against the municipality of Utrecht and landlord Socius. They want to evict 180 people from Ravellaan 96 because otherwise they will build up tenancy rights. We have made it clear: the exchange of tenants by the municipality of Utrecht and Socius must stop! Solidarity is expanding and more and more organizations and groups are joining the fight for tenancy and housing rights. They no longer accept that people are made homeless – in the middle of a housing crisis. The municipality is behaving like a bad landlord and is abandoning these residents. But together we demand tenancy rights and housing security! 

The attack on social tenants – a scandalous course of action by the Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning
The recent statement by Minister Keijzer (BBB) of Housing and Spatial Planning (03:24:30 to 03:25:10), in which she calls on municipalities to build no more than 30% social housing units, is a direct attack on social tenants and home seekers. It demonstrates a glaring lack of insight into the housing crisis in the Netherlands. With her statement, she legitimizes a policy that gives large landowners, project developers and parasitic investors ample room to build exorbitantly expensive housing. Given the acute housing shortage that hundreds of thousands of people are experiencing, this is not only ill-considered; it is a direct attack on people in the most vulnerable position: homeless people and people with a lower income.

Action against evictions from Ravellaan by Socius and the municipality of Utrecht, January 29, Utrecht.
Action for privacy and against evictions by Ad Hoc and the municipality of Roosendaal, February 6, Den Bosch.
Action campaign against rent increases in 2025.
BPW webinar Tenancy law: how and what? January 21.
Residents of the Busseltje in Reusel claim housing security and celebrate!
House rules.
Renewed Webshop.

Ruben lives in an old annex of a school building of the municipality of Roosendaal that is rented out by the Ad Hoc anti-squat agency. He and his 10 fellow residents are repeatedly confronted with excessive inspections of their home by Ad Hoc. When they announced another inspection at Christmas, they had had enough. Ruben replaced his lock and is participating in the action campaign “Refuse the inspector, put another lock on your door”. Now Ad Hoc is threatening to put Ruben out on the street because he wants to protect and demands his privacy. On February 6 at 2:00 PM, the BPW and Ruben will hand over their demands for privacy, peace and security of residence at Ad Hoc in Den Bosch, Emmaplein 2a. Show your solidarity!

Approximately 180 residents of 'de Ravel' (Ravellaan 96 in Utrecht) are threatened with homelessness by landlord Socius and owner the municipality of Utrecht. The residents were recently informed that they must leave the building by 19 May. The municipality of Utrecht still has no plans for demolition or renovation and the building will remain standing for years to come. Nevertheless, the municipality of Utrecht is threatening the current residents with evictions, in order to exchange them for new temporary tenants! By exchanging the residents, the municipality wants to prevent the current tenants from building up tenancy rights. 180 people, including students, workers and vulnerable residents, are being evicted and are in great housing uncertainty. This is an attack on the housing and tenancy rights of everyone! The Bond Precaire Woonvormen and action group Red de Ravel! demand that the current residents can remain in their homes. Tenants are not interchangeable! On January 29 at 15:00 we will hand over our demands for housing security together with the residents at the city hall on Stadhuisbrug 1 in Utrecht. Show your solidarity and come to the handing over of demands!

Today, on International Human Rights Day, young people in the Netherlands are confronting a shameful reality: 40% of all homeless people are under 28 years old. Despite all the promises, the problem is getting bigger. Today they are launching the national campaign 'This is not normal?!', supported by dozens of social organizations throughout the Netherlands.

By young people, for young people