One in five new tenants is a recognised refugee
CBS sees a growing share of recognised refugees among first-time tenants in vacated housing association properties, while the overall share barely changes.
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One in five first-time tenants who moved into a vacated housing association property in 2024 belonged to a household that included a recognised refugee. That share has more than doubled since 2018, according to new CBS figures. Meanwhile, the overall share of housing association properties allocated to recognised refugees remained virtually unchanged.
Of the first-time tenants who moved into a vacated housing association property in 2024, 21 per cent belonged to households with at least one recognised refugee. This involved approximately 8,700 households. In 2018, the share was 9 per cent, involving approximately 3,500 households.
CBS defines first-time tenants here as households moving into a home on the Dutch housing market for the first time. The figures concern housing association properties that became vacant and were subsequently allocated to a new household. They do not mean that one in five social-rented homes goes to recognised refugees.
In total, approximately 162,000 housing association properties became available in 2024. More than 13,000 of these went to households with a recognised refugee: nearly 8 per cent. This was roughly the same as in 2023. At the end of 2024, 2.4 per cent of the 2.2 million housing association properties were occupied by a household with a recognised refugee.
The difference between the share among first-time tenants and the share among all vacated properties is linked to the housing-market position of recognised refugees. Of the households with a recognised refugee that moved into a housing association property in 2024, 67 per cent were first-time tenants. Among households without a recognised refugee, the figure was 22 per cent.
There is also a difference in onward moves. More than half of households without a recognised refugee left a home behind when they moved. Among households with a recognised refugee, the figure was 16 per cent. As a result, a property becomes available for a subsequent household less often in that group.
The figures are expected to be used again in the political debate about asylum, housing allocation and pressure on the social-rented sector. CBS stresses that the statistics do not offer a judgement on the causes of the development. The bureau also does not record which individual allocation decisions by municipalities underlie the figures.
For people seeking housing, the figure does not mean that every first-time tenant is competing with a recognised refugee for the same properties. Municipalities and housing associations operate with different rules, target groups and regional circumstances. Flevoland had the highest share in 2024 of vacated housing association properties allocated to households with a recognised refugee: 12 per cent.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- In 2024, 21 per cent of first-time tenants moving into a vacated housing association property belonged to a household with a recognised refugee.
- The overall share of vacated housing association properties allocated to households with a recognised refugee was around 8 per cent.
- The figures describe allocations and do not, by themselves, explain what caused the development.
Left
Arguments The figures mainly show that recognised refugees often do not yet have a home and therefore enter a tight market as first-time tenants. From this perspective, a structural solution lies in more social housing construction, faster permit decisions and fair access for all people seeking housing.
Values Equality, protection of vulnerable groups and sufficient public services.
Consequences Less emphasis on distributing scarcity and more on expanding the housing stock; without additional construction, competition between groups will persist.
Centre
Arguments The figures should be read carefully: the share among first-time tenants is growing, but the overall share of allocated housing association properties remains virtually unchanged. Municipalities and housing associations should transparently explain at regional level how properties are allocated while also expanding the housing stock.
Values Factual accuracy, feasibility and trust in public institutions.
Consequences More uniform registration and explanation could calm the debate, but would not quickly resolve the shortage.
Right
Arguments From this perspective, the growth among first-time tenants confirms that the asylum system is directly putting pressure on the social-rented sector. Priority and specific allocation to recognised refugees should be limited, while migration and returns policy should be organised more strictly.
Values National responsibility, distribution of scarcity and control of migration.
Consequences Fewer allocations to recognised refugees could improve the position of some other people seeking housing, but could make it more difficult for municipalities to fulfil their housing obligations and for integration to succeed.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures and definitions were checked directly with CBS and compared with NOS's explanation. No unverified causal conclusions were added.
- confirmed In 2024, 21 per cent of first-time tenants in vacated housing association properties were recognised refugees. — CBS cites 21 per cent and approximately 8,700 households. source
- confirmed Nearly 8 per cent of vacated housing association properties went to households with a recognised refugee. — CBS reports more than 13,000 out of approximately 162,000 properties. source
- confirmed 67 per cent of households with a recognised refugee were first-time tenants. — CBS gives this share for 2024. source
Editor's note
The CBS figures are definitive for 2024. They concern households and vacated housing association properties, not all social-rented homes or individual people.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „woningmarkt sociale huur”
- De Telegraaf — „woningmarkt sociale huur”
- AD — „woningmarkt sociale huur”