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international

Student councils appeal to local government for more student accommodation

Henk Strikkers,
21 maart 2018 - 15:30

In an open letter addressed to Amsterdam’s political parties, six UvA student councils, the ASVA student union, a number of youth parties and co-workers at the HvA and the VU appealed for more student housing. ‘We are fed up with the shortage.’

‘The shortage of affordable student accommodation is a huge problem. It has become ‘normal’ to pay rent of up to 800 euros,’ they wrote in an open letter. They believe the time has come to do something after so many political ‘promises to build student houses’ have been repeatedly broken.

 

They are appealing to the local council to build 5.000 extra student houses a year. According to their party literature, most of Amsterdam's political parties believe that 2.000 houses a year will be enough. ‘That would mean that the current housing shortage –  one of 12.000 houses – would not be solved until 2038.’

 

Roeland Voorbergen, member of the student council of the Faculty of Humanities, is one of the initiators. ‘It is time for the city council to face this problem,’ he says. ‘Otherwise we risk chasing students out of the city.’