Vision of living
Zoetermeer is a pleasant city to live in. Residents of Zoetermeer highly appreciate living in the city. However, the crisis has changed the Zoetermeer housing market and the parties involved in living and building in the city. It was therefore necessary to update the housing policy.
On June 8, 2015, the Zoetermeer City Council adopted a new housing vision for the city. This housing vision, "Working together on the new housing market," forms the municipality's new policy framework for housing in Zoetermeer for the next five to ten years. The vision was developed from the outset in consultation with the Zoetermeer community. For example, residents and other parties involved in living in Zoetermeer (including the housing corporations, Woonkoepel Zoetermeer, Zoetermeer real estate agents, Overleg Samenwerkende Ouderen en Jongerenambassadeurs) were able to share their ideas and make suggestions at various times.
A new housing market: commitment to quality, sustainability and affordability With the new Housing Act (2015), the national government has established new rules of play for the social rental sector. The housing vision Working together on the new housing market responds to these laws and regulations. For example, in the vision the municipality identifies the themes on which it believes the housing corporations will have to perform: quality, sustainability and affordability. In addition, Zoetermeer's new housing vision responds to the completely changed housing market due to the crisis.
The housing market has become smaller in scale and focuses on more segments - renting, for example, is increasing in popularity. Today's housing market is more consumer-oriented and elevates sustainability to a standard. However, it is also a housing market in which the financial latitude of housing corporations and households is significantly smaller. The affordability of housing - especially for households with small wallets - may come under increasing pressure as a result.
In any case, everything starts with providing quality, according to the municipality. That is what the city needs in order to remain an attractive residential city for all Zoetermeerders in the future. How? Among other things, by focusing on creating desirable residential environments: quiet urban and village rather than the much less desirable suburban. The Futura project at Van Leeuwenhoeklaan and the new BuytenhofParc development in Buytenwegh are good examples of this. But also, for example, by transforming old vacant offices into youth housing; a housing type that is very much needed in the city. Synonymous with realizing quality is also the sustainability of the housing stock. The municipality, together with the housing corporations and private individuals, is explicitly putting a lot of effort into this. A good example of this is the Zero-Meter project in Palenstein.
Finally, quality for the municipality also means a social rental housing market - local and regional - that continues to adequately provide housing for lower income households. An important ambition in the housing vision is therefore to maintain the current social rental housing market in Zoetermeer. This despite significant threats, such as the landlord levy for housing corporations.
Fine living in Zoetermeer also when you need care and support
What is needed to ensure that Zoetermeer is and remains a city for everyone? What facilities, care and housing are needed to continue living comfortably when you are ill or getting older? The municipality and organizations in care, welfare and housing addressed these and other questions in 2021. The result is bundled in the residential care vision.
Everyone should be able to live comfortably
'Our ambition is for residents of Zoetermeer to live meaningful, vital and happy lives for as long as possible. We want to meet the housing needs of all our residents as well as possible, especially those with care needs,' says Ingeborg Ter Laak, alderwoman for Health and Welfare. "We want the elderly and vulnerable residents to remain part of society. And we also want young people to find a timely place on the housing market, with or without guidance," adds Alderman Robin Paalvast of Housing.
Major challenges
The adjustments to housing and care services are badly needed, because Zoetermeer faces major challenges in the coming years. For example - due to accelerated double aging - over the next 10 years the number of elderly people will probably increase by 30%. They will continue to live at home for longer, with care and support at home where necessary. The housing and care needs of young people and other (vulnerable) groups have also changed. There is an increasing demand for new housing forms and (more independent) residential care locations with care and support. It is expected that there will be fewer and fewer care personnel, informal caregivers and volunteers to support the increased need for care. As a result, care and welfare costs continue to increase and may become unaffordable. All of these factors are fueling the demand for new combinations of living and care.
Making that possible together
There must be housing suitable for this. To achieve this, care institutions, housing corporations and the municipality held discussions about what they themselves can offer and what they need from the other. And of course the housing wishes and needs of Zoetermeerders play a large role in this. Like having their own place in their own neighborhood, being able to meet others and experiencing freedom. New attractive housing forms are needed for people who would otherwise be forced to live in a house in which their freedom of movement is restricted.
You can't live in a vision, which is why there will be an implementation agenda
The residential care vision has been approved by the City Council. However, a vision is a beginning. In 2022, the parties involved will start making an implementation agenda. In it, they will make the ambitions of the residential care vision concrete with actions and projects.
Who participated in creating the residential care vision?
The Residential Care Vision was drawn up together with Fundis WelThuis, Humanitas DMH, Middin, Jeugdformaat, LIMOR, Fonteynenburg, representatives from Zoetermeer 2025 - a healthy Zoetermeer region, Palet Welzijn, Stichting Piëzo, health insurer CZ, Stedelink (formerly Vestia), De Goede Woning, Vidomes and representatives from the City Building Agreement (Bouwinvest, Syntrus Achmea) and residents' organizations.