Shortage of student housing in Utrecht still increasing

The council letter (available in Dutch only) concludes that “the demand for student housing is as high as ever”. In 2022-2023, the shortage of student housing increased from 5,300 to 6,000 units, according to a report by the knowledge centre Kences from September 2023. The average time students need to find a room has also increased considerably in recent years. Furthermore, the tight housing market makes it difficult for graduates to transition to a new living situation, which means even fewer rooms are becoming available for new students.

“Good student housing is high on the agenda in Utrecht. It always has and it always will,” says Daniël Youssef, spokesperson for the alderman, Dennis de Vries. The National Action Plan on Student Housing for 2022-2030 stipulates that the goal for 2030 is to eliminate the shortage of 5,300 student rooms. To achieve this, they will focus on constructing new housing units and making it easier for starters to move up the housing ladder.

The letter to the Municipal Council was sent in response to the recent publication of the Multi-Year Perspective Space (MPR), which analyses the progress of the implementation of Utrecht Spatial Strategy 2040​​, a document that lays out all municipal ambitions for the years ahead, including sufficient housing for students.