NO STONE UNTURNED: 'FOCUS ON HOUSING SHOULD BE MORE ABOUT SENIOR LIVING'

It is an ambitious plan by Minister De Jonge of the Dutch Housing ministry: 900,000 homes must be built in the Netherlands by 2030. Almost a third of these, 290,000, should be suitable for senior citizens. However, discussions often focus on the larger number of homes that need to be built for the mid-rent level segment. It's time to pay more attention to those senior homes, according to Wim Wensing, Chief Investment Officer at Amvest.

"What we want is mobility," says Wensing. "So that senior citizens can leave their large homes and move to an apartment in the centre of a city where they are close to amenities." This frees up family homes, which will help alleviate the pressure on the Dutch housing market. "We need to focus more on the 290,000 senior homes that need to be built as there are only 50,000 homes needed in the mid-rent level segment."

However, Wensing understands that the focus is often on the middle segment. "Agents or teachers can't find a good home in the city right now, so we need to invest in that. However, you can also say that the homes are there, but they have the wrong owners. Senior citizens who want to move but can't. There is no alternative for them right now. That's why we need more apartments for this group."

Age-friendly homes

In addition, half a million homes need to be made age-friendly, according to Wensing. These are homes that are adapted to make it easy to grow old in the same place. "There are no steps to the house and no steps inside. There are wider hallways so you can easily turn with a walker or a wheelchair. There are also homes with additional services for people who need light care."

In short, there will be a need for many senior homes in the coming years. "People are getting older and are living longer. So the group is getting bigger. It's time to shift the focus towards them," concludes Wensing.