How can you ensure that everyone has access to affordable housing at a time when the housing market is firmly locked? Presenter Maarten Bouwhuis joins Jeroen Tebbens, relationship manager at BNG, and Zacharias Ben Moussa, treasurer at housing association Portaal, to find the answer to that question.
It is a challenging time now that there is a severe housing shortage. Despite the tight housing market, Portaal is trying to provide households with affordable housing. This involves looking at both social and mid-range rents. 'Portaal has a social responsibility, to ensure liveable neighbourhoods and affordable housing,' says Tebbens. But can Portaal fulfil that mission simply by spending more money, or is more needed? According to Ben Moussa, it is also important to reduce the regulatory burden: 'It's not just about financing; we need to take a broader view. That's why it needs to be looked at in an integrated way, and we also need to consider collaborating with other parties, such as local authorities.'
As a housing association, Portaal provides more than 50,000 households with a new home and is largely dependent on financing from BNG for this. Portaal is one of BNG's top five largest customers. It is therefore an important mutual relationship, which, according to Ben Moussa, is characterised by the fact that BNG is there not only in good times, but also in bad.
Want to hear the whole story? Listen to the entire episode of the BNG podcast “Meerwaarde aan Tafel” (Added Value at the Table): Housing happiness for everyone.
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René Goorden
Sectorlead Wonen
