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Bijlage 4 - Thesis Structural housing vacancy in the municipality of Ww

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Structural Housing Vacancy in the Municipality of Waalwijk Research and Policy Advice Plan on how the Municipality of Waalwijk can address and deal with structural housing vacancy Graduation internship, Thesis by Kane de Bresser (211795) 05-06-2025

Colophon Structural Housing Vacancy in the Municipality of Waalwijk Research and Policy Advice Plan on how the Municipality of Waalwijk can address and deal with structural housing vacancy

Graduation: 03-02-2025 till 05-06-2025

Thesis, Research Report

Student/Intern: Kane de Bresser Breda University of Applied Sciences Built Environment Urban Planning

Kane de Bresser Study: Bachelor Built Environment (En) Specialization: Urban Planning student number: 211795

Mail:

211795@buas.nl kanedebresser9@gmail.com

Telephone: Graduation internship Gemeente Waalwijk

+31 6 57636507

University supervisor: Zhan Goosen Lecturer goosen.z@buas.nl

University:

Breda University of Applied Sciences Monseigneur Hopmansstraat 2 4817 JS Breda +31 (0)76 5332203

Company coach:

Susan brooijmans Sr. Beleidsmedewerker Wonen sbrooijmans@waalwijk.nl Ingrid Dam Beleidsmedewerker Wonen idam@waalwijk.nl

Internschip company: Gemeente Waalwijk Taxandriaweg 6 5141 PA Waalwijk 0416 683456

5th of June 2025

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

LIBRARY FORM Name student: K a n e d e B r e s s e r Study programme

Built Environment – Mobility Built Environment – Urban Planning Built Environment – Urban Design Logistics Engineering Logistics Management

Author

Kane de Bresser

Title

Structural housing vacancy in the municipality of Waalwijk

Subtitle

Research and policy advice plan on how the municipality of Waalwijk can address and deal with structural housing vacancy.

Organisation

Gemeente Waalwijk

Place

Taxandriaweg 6 5141 PA Waalwijk 0416 683456

Company supervisor

Susan brooijmans and Ingrid Dam

Supervising lecturer

Zhan Goosen

Summary

A research and report looking into what is vacancy, how can vacancy be defined, what can the causes be of vacancy. Legal framework on how to tackle vacancy. How the municipality approaches vacancy and how much structural vacant houses there are within the municipality of Waalwijk. With strategies that can help reduce the structural housing vacancy, and an final policy advice plan for the structural housing vacancy.

Key words (5x)

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

Preface Before you lies a report as a result of my graduation internship conducted at the Municipality of Waalwijk. As part of my bachelor’s degree in Built Environment with the specialization in Urban Planning at Breda University of Applied Sciences. This research report focusses on the topic of Structural housing vacancy in the Municipality of Waalwijk. During my graduation internship, I had the opportunity to explore this topic on what it is, why it is a problem, and what can be done to improve structural housing vacancy. I have combined literature review, legal and policy research, and data analysis to gain insights into the causes and potential solutions to structural housing vacancy in the Municipality of Waalwijk. I have engaged with multiple people from different departments within the Municipality for this research, what helped me on the topic but also helped me understand how a Municipality works and the process that take place within a Municipality. Also seeing where a problem does not only affect one department within the Municipality but also some more different departments. I would hereby like to thank my University supervisor Zhan Goosen for her advice, feedback and guidance on how to write the report and keep looking back at the aim of the research, so the goal stays clear.

And I would like to thank everyone within the Municipality of Waalwijk with whom I have been in contact and helped me with my research and welcomed me at their office to work on this research. Especially Susan Brooijmans and Ingrid Dam for offering me this research opportunity, and guidance within the Municipality, for reading my report and the feedback. I hope this report and the policy advice plan provides a useful contribution to the ongoing work of the Municipality of Waalwijk in addressing the structural housing vacancy. Kane de Bresser 05-06-2025

Structural housing vacancy, housing vacancy, vacancy, Woning leegstand, leegstand, Policy advice plan, Beleidsadviesplan

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

Summary This research was conducted for the Municipality of Waalwijk and had the focus on the problem of structural housing vacancy. The aim of the research was to discover the reason of structural housing vacancy and also to map out where the vacancy is and think of strategies that can be proposed for a policy advice plan on the structural housing vacancy is the Municipality of Waalwijk. The main research question for this research is: How can the Municipality of Waalwijk effectively address structural housing vacancy to reoccupy housing? To answer this question several sub-questioned were first researched and explored mostly by the use of document analysis and data gathering and analysis. First a definition of vacancy and classification was looked at and established for the report. Continued by the legal framework that was also reviewed where the most relevant Act is the vacancy Act, what includes a vacancy ordinance that municipalities can instate. Also, there was looked at other Acts that more influence the vacancy management. And following by then looking at different factors that can cause structural housing vacancy. As, well as seeing what the Municipality was already doing for structural housing vacancy.

Where and what vacant

Percentage of vacancy

The Netherlands

All the vacancy in the municipality of Waalwijk

2.18%

A key part of the research was the mapping of the data to see where the housing vacancy is, by researching how long a house has been vacant and what the reasons might have been given for it being vacant. There has also been looked at other municipalities how they approach structural housing vacancy. This is done with mostly the vacancy ordinance under the experiment of the Crisis and Recovery Act (now the Environmental Act). Furthermore, international examples like Flanders, Belgium and the United Kingdom also provided more insight in tackling structural housing vacancy with a vacancy tax, that penalizes owners that leave houses vacant longer than a year with an increasing rate the longer the house has been vacant.

Structural housing vacancy in the municipality of Waalwijk

0.47%

Non valid, or no reasons on structural housing vacancy in the municipality of Waalwijk

0.22%

Based on all these findings strategies were developed that can help address structural housing vacancy. These strategies each on its own cannot address structural housing vacancy all on its own but needs to be a combination of the strategies. This is put in the eventual Policy Advice Plan that was created for this research.

Table 1 Summary of the percentage of housing vacancy within Waalwijk. Created by (de Bresser, 2025).

The research concluded that even though the percentage of structural housing vacancy is relatively low, with 0.47% the Municipality of Waalwijk can still address the structural housing vacancy. This can be done with multiple tools to monitor and map out the structural housing vacancy. And having proactive communication with homeowners and residents can stimulate the homeowners for something to happen. And have more eyes on the streets with the residents. And also, having more communication and collaboration within the different departments of the Municipality could spread out the responsibility and makes sure no double work needs to be done. In table 1 a summary is shown of the percentage of vacancy in the Netherlands, all the vacancy in the Municipality (friction, mutation and structural housing vacancy), just the structural vacancy and the structural housing vacancy after the reasons that have not given a valid reason (yet).

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

Table of Content Preface �� 5

6.1.1. Amsterdam �� 61 6.1.2. Utrecht �� 63 6.1.3. Tilburg �� 65 6.2. International Case Studies �� 66 6.2.1. Belgium Flanders �� 66 6.2.2. United Kingdom �� 69 6.3. Conclusion �� 71

Summary �� 6

7. Strategies on Structural Housing Vacancy �� 73

Colophon �� 3

List of Abbreviations �� 11 1. Introduction �� 13

1.1. Research Overview �� 13 1.2. Problem Statement �� 15 1.3. Research Objective �� 15 1.4. Research Question �� 16 1.4.1. Main Research Question �� 16 1.4.2. Sub Research Question �� 16 1.5. Research Methods �� 17 1.6. Research Planning �� 19 1.7.

Reader’s Guide �� 19

2. Housing Vacancy Definition and Classification �� 21

2.1. Defining Housing Vacancy �� 21 2.2. Housing Vacancy Classification �� 22 2.3. Conclusion �� 25

3. National Legal and Policy Frameworks �� 27

3.1. Vacancy Act �� 27 3.1.1. Vacancy Ordinance �� 28 3.1.2. Temporary Letting �� 30 3.1.3. Future Plans for the Vacancy Act �� 31 3.2. Housing Act �� 32 3.3. Squatting and Vacancy Act �� 32 3.4. Crisis and Recovery Act �� 33 3.5. Landlords Good Practices Act �� 34 3.6.

Affordable Rent Act �� 35 3.7. Buyout Protection �� 35 3.8. Conclusion �� 36

4. Structural Housing Vacancy: Causes and Current Approaches �� 39

7.1. Strategy Overview �� 73 7.1.1. Communication with Homeowners �� 74 7.1.2. Communication to Residents �� 75 7.1.3. Fixi Notification �� 76 7.1.4. Geoportal �� 77 7.1.5. Internal Communication �� 78 7.1.6. Excel Sheet �� 79 7.1.7. Task Distribution �� 80 7.1.8. Uninhabitable Houses �� 81 7.1.9.

Vacancy Ordinance �� 83 7.2. Conclusion �� 84

8. Policy Advice Plan on Structural Housing Vacancy for the Municipality of Waalwijk �� 87

8.1. Introduction �� 87 8.2. What is Structural Housing Vacancy? �� 88 8.3. Current Approach of the Municipality of Waalwijk �� 89 8.3.1. Excel Sheet �� 89 8.3.2. Geoportal �� 89 8.3.3. Fixi Notification �� 89 8.3.4. Strategies Closing the Gaps �� 90 8.4. Insights from the Analysis �� 91 8.4.1. Factors that can Cause Housing Vacancy �� 91 8.4.2.

Structural Housing Vacancy in Numbers �� 91 8.4.3. Duration and Reasons of Structural Housing Vacancy �� 93 8.5. Policy Advice Strategies �� 94 8.5.1. Visualisation of Vacancy �� 94 8.5.2. Coordination in the Municipality �� 94 8.5.3. Vacancy Communication �� 95 8.5.4. Vacancy Ordinance �� 96 8.5.5. Uninhabitable Houses �� 97 8.6. Implementation �� 98

4.1. Contributing Factors �� 39 4.2. Current Municipal Approach �� 41 4.2.1. Enforcement �� 41 4.2.2. Geoportal �� 42 4.2.3. Letter of Vacancy �� 44 4.3. Conclusion �� 45

9. Conclusion �� 101

5. Tools for Mapping of Structural Vacancy in Waalwijk �� 47

12.1. Model VNG Vacancy Ordinance for 3.1.1. (in Dutch) �� 115 12.2. Geoportal Maps from 4.2.2. �� 122 12.3. Letter on Vacancy from 4.2.3. (in Dutch) �� 124 12.4. Excel Sheets Layout from 5.1. (in Dutch) �� 126 12.5. Vacancy on Maps from 5.2 �� 130 12.6. Beleidsadvies Plan Structurele Woning Leegstand Waalwijk from 8. (in Dutch) �� 133 12.7. Interview Tilburg Municipality for 6.1.3. (in Dutch) �� 141

5.1. Excel Work Sheet �� 47 5.2. Visual Mapping �� 52 5.3. Conclusion �� 58

6. Case Studies as Best Practices �� 61

6.1. National Case Studies �� 61

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

10. Discussion �� 105 11. Sources �� 107 12. Appendix (Restricted Access) �� 115

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

List of Figures and Tables Figure 1.1 Municipality of Waalwijk location. �� 14 Figure 1.2 Smart criteria. �� 15 Figure 3.1 Image from a vacant house �� 29 Figure 3.2 Image from vacant houses. �� 37 Figure 4.1 District of Waspik. �� 42 Figure 4.2 District of Sprang-Capelle. �� 42 Figure 4.3 District of Waalwijk. �� 42 Figure 5.1 Number of structural vacant houses per district. �� 53 Figure 5.2 Number of structural vacant houses per neighbourhood.

�� 55 Figure 6.1 Reason housing vacancy corporations Utrecht. �� 64 Figure 6.2 Timeline of law and policies on vacancy in Flanders Belgium. �� 67 Figure 7.1 Timeline of actions for communication with homeowner. �� 74 Figure 7.2 tasks per department that can happen. �� 80 Figure 7.3: Image from another vacant house �� 85 Figure 8.1 Number of Structural vacant houses per neighbourhood. �� 92 Figure 12.1 Retrieved from internal portal of maps: Geoportal, Municipality Waalwijk geoportal vacancy. Located in Appendix 12.2 (restricted access). �� 122 Figure 12.2 Retrieved from internal portal of maps: Geoportal, Waspik Vacancy. Located in Appendix 12.2 (restricted access).

�� 123 Figure 12.3 Retrieved from internal portal of maps: Geoportal, Sprang-Capelle Vacancy. Located in Appendix 12.2 (restricted access). �� 123 Figure 12.4 Retrieved from internal portal of maps: Geoportal, Waalwijk Vacancy. Located in Appendix 12.2 (restricted access). �� 123 Figure 12.5 Number of months vacant, houses in the Municipality exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access). �� 130 Figure 12.6 Number of months vacant, houses in Waspik exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access). �� 130 Figure 12.7 Reason of vacancy, houses in Waspik exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access).

�� 131 Figure 12.8 Number of months vacant, houses in Sprang-Capelle exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access). �� 131 Figure 12.9 Reason of vacancy, houses in Sprang-Capelle exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access). �� 131 Figure 12.10 Number of months vacant, houses in Waalwijk exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access). �� 132 Figure 12.11 Reason of vacancy, houses in Waalwijk exact location. Located in Appendix 12.5 (restricted access). �� 132 Figure 12.12 Aantal leegstaande woningen per buurt.

�� 137 Table 1 Summary of the percentage of housing vacancy within Waalwijk. �� 7 Table 1.1 Methods used per research question. �� 18 Table 2.1 Vacancy classification. �� 24 Table 3.1 Comparison of Lw in combination with the Chw and without. �� 33 Table 4.1 Influence the Municipality can have on vacancy causes. �� 40 Table 5.1 Excel vacancy now. �� 48 Table 5.2 Causes and reasons from theory compared with data. �� 49 Table 5.3 Excel vacancy improved Part 1. �� 51 Table 5.4 Excel vacancy improved Part 2.

�� 52 Table 5.5 Number and percentage of the structural housing vacancy in Waalwijk. �� 54 Table 5.6 Number of structural vacant houses with the reasons in Waalwijk. �� 57 Table 5.7 Summary of the percentage of housing vacancy within Waalwijk. �� 59 Table 6.1 Comparison of Lw in combination with the Chw and without, with examples of Amsterdam and Utrecht. �� 62 05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

Table 7.1 Overview of the strategies. �� 73 Table 8.1 Number and percentage of the structural housing vacancy in Waalwijk compared with CBS. �� 92 Table 8.2 Number of structural vacant houses with the reasons in Waalwijk. �� 93 Table 8.3 Summary of the percentage of housing vacancy within Waalwijk. �� 93 Table 9.1 Summary of the percentage of housing vacancy within Waalwijk. �� 103 Table 12.1 Excel leegstand nu. Located in Appendix 12.4 (restricted access). �� 126 Table 12.2 Excel leegstand veranderingen part 1. Located in Appendix 12.4 (restricted access). �� 127 Table 12.3 Excel leegstand veranderingen part 2. Located in Appendix 12.4 (restricted access). �� 128 Table 12.4 Aantallen en percentages van de structurele woningleegstand in Waalwijk vergeleken met CBS. �� 136 Table 12.5 aantal structurele woningleegstand met reden in Waalwijk. �� 137 Table 12.6 Samenvatting van het percentage van woningleegstand in Waalwijk. �� 137

List of Abbreviations Abbreviation Definition (Dutch) Leegstandswet Lw Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek CBS Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten VNG IenW

Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat

FAP VRO

Feantsa & Fondation Abbé Pierre

LTH WOZ BAG VBL

Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting en Ruimtelijke Ordening Afdeling Leefbaarheid, Toezicht en Handhaving. Waardering onroerende zaken Basisregistratie Adressen en Gebouwen

WvS RBL

Afdeling Vergunningverlening en Belastingen Leefomgeving Basisregistratie Personen Afdeling Beleid Sociaal Maatschappelijk Domein Huisvestingswet Crisis- en herstelwet Woningwaarderingsstelsel Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties Wetboek van Strafrecht Afdeling Realisatie Beheer Leefomgeving

Awb

Algemene wet bestuursrecht

BRP BSD Hvw Chw WWS BZK

Definition (English) Vacancy Act Central Bureau of Statistics The Association of Netherlands Municipalities Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management Feantsa & Fondation Abbé Pierre Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning liveability, Surveillance and enforcement department Property Valuation Basic registration of addresses and buildings Licensing & Taxation Department Personal Records Database policy social welfare domain department Housing Act Crisis and Recovery Act Housing Valuation System Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Criminal Code Realisation management living environment department General Administrative Law Act 11

1. Introduction 1.1. Research Overview

The Municipality of Waalwijk is located in NoordBrabant, the Netherlands. The Municipality counts since the 1st of January 2024 a total of 50.302 inhabitants (Waalwijk in Cijfers - Gemeente Waalwijk, n.d.). The Municipality of Waalwijk consist of the city of Waalwijk and the towns of Sprang-Capelle and Waspik. See in figure 1.1 the map of the Netherlands with the red outline being the border of the province of Noord-Brabant and the green reflects the Municipality with the division of the towns within the Municipality of Waalwijk.

due to several possible reasons. When Stec looked back at data from about a year earlier, they found that 1.3% of the housing market was vacant at that time that is about 285 residential addresses (De Leve et al., 2024).

The Municipality is constantly developing and planning new residential areas to meet housing demands. In 2022 Hart van Brabant region conducted a housing market study, in which also the housing market needs of the Municipality of Waalwijk were portrayed. This study showed that demand for both owner-occupied and rental homes, with a need for affordable housing. There is also a need for apartments especially from the growing number of residents aged sixty-five and older, and the young people with an increase in the one-person households. The rental market seems balanced on paper, but in reality, the waiting time for social housing has increased, and the chances of securing a rental home have decreased in certain years. These challenges highlight the need for housing development that better match affordability and demographic trends. While the corporation rental homes housing sectors remain unreduced and balanced (Beheer, 2024).

This research paper is drawn up to get an insight of where the vacant homes are and the reason why they are vacant and how this can be addressed. This research project will therefor focus on the approach that could be taken towards structural housing vacancy (+/- 1 year and longer housing vacancy) in the Municipality of Waalwijk.

However, the Municipality of Waalwijk wanted some further elaboration from the results of the study of the housing market. For that, they asked Stec groep to conduct an in-depth housing market study. This study showed based on an analysis of statistical data, that around 3% of the total housing stock is currently vacant, which could be

This study by Stec further confirmed to signals that were already received from the society. As these vacant houses are more often affordable homes, and there also are a lot of demand for them (S. Brooijmans, personal communication, February 17, 2025).

This research consists of analysing the current status of the vacancy with the zoning residential within the Municipality and to identify the opportunity to use these residential buildings for housing. The context of this study is set by a wider housing shortage in the Netherlands. With the growing population and limited spaces that are available in the municipalities, where the Municipality of Waalwijk are thus increasingly looking for alternative solutions. This research will contribute to a better understanding and maximise the potential of vacant residential buildings, of how municipalities policies and strategies can be optimised to stimulate development of using unused residential buildings into occupied, liveable housing.

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

1.2. Problem Statement

1.3. Research Objective

The main problem identified and motivating this research is the gap between the growing demand for housing and the presence of vacant residential buildings. It concerns a structural vacancy of houses in the Municipality of Waalwijk that can contribute to the housing crisis. This vacancy can be caused by family circumstances, physical interventions, speculation, and other factors that will be researched. The aim of this research is thus not only to discover the reason for structural housing vacancy but also to map out where in the Municipality the vacancy is and what can be proposed to get feasible interventions that can encourage reoccupation. By addressing these causes contributing to the structural vacancies, the Municipality sees this as an opportunity: an opportunity to convert unused residential buildings into valuable housing.

The objective of this research project is to create a policy advice plan on how structural vacant housing within the Municipality of Waalwijk can be reoccupied into occupied liveable housing, thus also contributing to solving the current housing shortage. The research will focus on identifying the housing vacancy and feasible strategies to reclaim vacant residential buildings into functional housing solutions. To ensure a structured and measurable approach, this research objective is formulated using the SMART criteria. See in Figure 1.2 Smart criteria.

Figure 1.1 Municipality of Waalwijk location. Created by (de Bresser, 2025).

Figure 1.2 Smart criteria. Created by (de Bresser, 2025).

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

1.4. Research Question 1.4.1. Main Research Question How can the Municipality of Waalwijk effectively address structural housing vacancy to reoccupy housing? 1.4.2. Sub Research Question With this main research question, some sub-questions were created to make it easier to answer this question. For some of these sub-questions, there are again some research questions created to have it more split up to make a more comprehensive answer.

• • • •

• •

What is vacancy? And how can vacant houses be categorized within the Municipality of Waalwijk? o What is the definition of vacancy for housing? o How can vacancy be classified? What legal and policy frameworks influence the re-occupation of structural vacant residential buildings to housing? What is the main reason for structural housing vacancy in Municipality Waalwijk? o What factors contribute to housing vacancy? o How does the municipality currently deal with housing vacancy? What tools and examples form other cases can be used to reduce the structural vacant housing? o How can Structural vacant houses be tracked and visualized within the Municipality of Waalwijk? o What examples from other municipalities can be applied? What are the best strategies to decrease the structural housing vacancy? How can a policy advice plan look for effective re-occupation of structural vacant residential buildings to housing?

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

1.5. Research Methods This research will be conducted using a mix of methods to ensure a complete understanding of structural housing vacancy in the Municipality of Waalwijk. The research will identify structural housing vacancy and develop a policy advice plan by collecting data and analysing existing policies and strategies. This all will be done through various methods, including a literature review, document analysis, data analysis, case study analysis, strategy analysis, and interviews to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issue. Each research question contributes to reaching a solid policy advice on how to tackle structural vacant houses within Waalwijk. The following table 1.1 lists the research questions with what method(s) are used to answer them and where in the chapters it can be mentioned. Here the methods are listed again and explained a bit more and then linked them with a research question in the table on the next page.

A. Literature review: This consist of analysing existing studies, academic articles, policy papers, and reports. To establish the theoretical foundation and identify trends in housing vacancy. B. Document analysis: Involves reviewing official documents such as policies municipal reports, zoning plans and strategies to understand how housing is classified and addressed. C. Data analysis: Consist of collecting and assessing statistical data to identify patterns and determine the extent of the structural housing vacancy. D. Case-study analysis: Looks into specific examples of other municipalities and/or regions where they have successfully repurposed vacant houses to gain insights into effective policies and strategies. E. Strategy analysis: Evaluates policy tools, financial drivers, legal frameworks, that are going to be compared and assessed for its effectiveness for the Municipality of Waalwijk. F. Interviews: Conversations with people involved to gain practical insights into policy implementation and challenges from other departments and municipalities.

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

1.6. Research Planning How can the Municipality of Waalwijk effectively address structural housing vacancy to reoccupy housing? Sub questions and research questions Method(s) Chapter What is vacancy? And how can vacant houses be categorized within the Municipality of Waalwijk?

A.; B.; C.;

What is the definition of vacancy for housing?

A.; B.;

2.1

How can vacancy be classified?

B.; C.;

2.2

What legal and policy frameworks influence the re-occupation of structural vacant residential buildings to housing?

A.; B.;

What is the main reason for structural housing vacancy in Municipality Waalwijk?

A.; B.; C.; F.;

What factors contribute to housing vacancy?

A.; F.;

4.1

How does the Municipality currently deal with housing vacancy?

B.; C.; F.;

4.2

What tools and examples form other cases can be used to reduce the structural vacant housing?

A.; B.; C.; D.; E.; F.;

5&6

How can Structural vacant houses be tracked and visualized within the Municipality of Waalwijk? What examples from other municipalities can be applied?

B.; C.; E.;

A.; D.; F.;

What are the best strategies to decrease the structural housing vacancy?

E.;

How can a policy advice plan look for effective re-occupation of structural vacant residential buildings to housing?

B.; E.;

1.7. Reader’s Guide The structure of this report is as followed: • •

Table 1.1 Methods used per research question. Created by (de Bresser, 2025).

• • •

These methods have been chosen to ensure a structured based approach to addressing the structural housing vacancy. The combination of the literature review, data analysis and case study analysis provide a solid foundation for developing practical and effective recommendations for the Municipality of Waalwijk.

• • • •

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

In chapter 2 the definition of housing vacancy will be explored together with the different classifications of housing vacancy. In chapter 3 It goes deeper into the laws and policy measures that can help bring vacant houses back into use. In chapter 4 it first explores the different factors that can cause structural housing vacancy. Followed by looking at what the Municipality already does against structural housing vacancy. In chapter 5 It explores the tools for how to map the structural vacant houses. As well an analysis made using these tools. In chapter 6 It goes into different national and international case studies that show examples of what they are doing against structural housing vacancy. In chapter 7 the first strategies on structural housing vacancy are looked at with the proposed action, expected impact and potential challenges that the strategy may have. In chapter 8 the eventual policy advice plan is shown for the structural housing vacancy for Waalwijk with the policy advice strategies. In chapter 9 the conclusion is drawn on the main research question while also, revising the answers to the sub-questions. In chapter 10 there is a discussion on what couldn’t be shown in the research and what just was outside of the scope for the research but still important.

2. Housing Vacancy Definition and Classification Before diving into the research of how the Municipality of Waalwijk can address structural housing vacancy. It is important to know what vacancy is and what kind of vacancy exist and which of those will be taking into account for this research on housing vacancy in Waalwijk.

2.1. Defining Housing Vacancy

So, to know what vacancy is, it is good to know how it is defined, and vacancy can be defined in a few different ways. According to the Vacancy Act (continued as: Lw), does vacant mean: “Not being in use or not being in use by virtue of a property or personal right, as well as a use which has the clear tendency to undermine the operation of this Act.” (Lw, 2024, art. 1:1 sub d). This definition indicates that vacancy policy is not just about literal vacancy; a property where nothing is happening. But also, about the other use than ‘intended’ (Camstra et al., 2022). Then there is also the definition of residential vacancy: “Vacancy occurs when there is no one registered at an address and no user or economic activity is known” (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek [CBS], 2020). And then there is of course the definition of vacancy according to the Dutch dictionary. “Being vacant. 1) being unoccupied 2) the being unoccupied of a house 3) the being unoccupied of a living space 4) housing market term. 1) Unoccupied. Administrative law: not being in use or not being in use by virtue of a property or personal right, of a house or building” (Leegstand Nederlands Woordenboek - Woorden.org, n.d.).

In the handbook by Camstra et al. (2022) tackling vacancy 2.0: residential and agricultural properties, from the Association of Dutch Municipalities (continued as: VNG), they grab some kind of definition with vacancy but nothing concrete. They talk about: “the word ‘empty’ suggests a hard and clear contrast with ‘full’: a property is either in use or empty. In the reality there seemed … to be a grey area between empty and full.” Furthermore, the handbook by Camstra et al. also puts down several different causes that can lead to vacancy this is; limited demand for housing, restructuring vacancy, bridging, partially unused housing, administrative vacancy, lodging use and holiday rentals, and speculation (Camstra et al., 2022). These causes will be further touched upon in chapter 4.1 Contributing factors.

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

2.2. Housing Vacancy Classification In order to know what kind of vacancy exist there can be a distinction made between different kinds of vacancy, which is something that Sterkens et al. (2013) also identified, that there must be a distinction being made between the type of vacancy that occurs. Because they saw that quite a few different sources use various descriptions and categories to define vacancy, as also became clear in chapter 2.1 Defining housing vacancy. The following distinction from Sterkens et al. (2013) was mainly drawn from the input of the respondents and Belgium, Flemish legislation. They have five different forms of vacancy that could be distinguished: Frictional vacancy: The vacancy that is necessary for the proper functioning of the property market. In other words, it is the supply that allows movement on the market. … Structural vacancy: Is (long-term) vacancy of properties that, for various reasons, do not or are not able to be (re)occupied. ... Periodic vacancy: The vacancy of property, is vacancy during fixed periods of the week, month, or year. … Temporary vacancy: Is vacancy of a property that is awaiting a ‘certain’ occupation. …

(A) Accepted vacancy 1. Initial vacancy, After completion of new construction or renovation … 2. Natural/normal vacancy, Average accepted vacancy for the type of property … 3. Mutation vacancy, At change of tenant at more/less consecutive reletting … 4. Friction vacancy, After departure tenant no subsequent letting takes place … (B) Problematic vacancy 5. Long-term vacancy, After friction vacancy two years after expiry of last lease 6. Operational vacancy, Long-term vacancy caused by inadequate appearance etc. (C) Dramatic vacancy 7. Structural vacancy- low opportunity, Vacancy after 3 years of friction vacancy 8. Structural vacancy- poor opportunity, Vacancy after 2 years of long-term vacancy 9. Locational vacancy, Failure to meet general requirements at location (D) Administrative vacancy 10. Economic vacancy, Foregone returns due to concessions granted as a result of a supply situation below the level of demand 11. Excess vacancy, Structural vacancy as the difference between actual and natural vacancy. 12. Financial vacancy, Administrative indication in term of lost revenues 13. Pure vacancy, Administrative indication of vacancy caused by construction activities.

Concealed vacancy: Is vacancy hidden behind an administrative status. (Sterkens et al., 2013) These five different classifications of vacancy are focused on properties in general. However, there are also three different classifications but than from Van Gool et al. (2007 as cited in Van Dongen et al., 2013), that talk more in the context of vacancy in the retail. Where they make a distinguish between initial and frictional vacancy (maximum one year), Long-term vacancy (between one and three years), and structural vacancy (three or more consecutive years). Whether there are general or retail derived definitions of vacancy, there are also definitions from the office market that define vacancy first in four categories from Van Der Voordt (2007). These categories are (A) Accepted vacancy, (B) Problematic Vacancy, (C) Dramatic vacancy and (D) Administrative vacancy. Within each of these categories are again different kind of vacancies named. How they are showed is put here on the right.

These are a lot of forms of vacancy from Van Der Voordt (2007) however they are too many to take these all into account for the housing vacancy. Where some of these vacancies also can overlap in the terminology. However, there are also three definitions of vacancy from the Handbook on model-based market valuation on vacancy (2023) this is more about the rental units, what is more in the definition that is needed for this research.

Structural vacancy: if a rental unit is not rented out for an extended period of time, it is considered structurally vacant. … Mutation vacancy: if a rental unit is not rented out immediately after the departure of the previous tenant, it is called mutation vacancy. Initial vacancy: a rental unit is completed and not rented out. Up to 2 years after completion, it is temporary initial vacancy … (Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, 2023).

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

For the case in Europe there is not only the Netherlands that is dealing with vacancy, however, multiple countries can also not agree on one term of vacancy, but they do see that mostly two categories of vacancy there are, commercial vacancy and residential vacancy. For residential vacancy it differentiates mostly between frictional vacancy (vacant housing on the market, available for sale or rent) and structural or long-term vacancy (vacant housing that is outside the market). … Several countries (Austria, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Portugal) do not have a clear definition of residential vacancy. In the United Kingdom and Belgium, if a housing unit is vacant for more than six months, it is considered vacant. In the Netherlands, short-term vacancy refers to housing units empty for between three to twelve months, and structural vacancy is those that have been vacant for more than twelve months (Feantsa & Fondation Abbé Pierre [FAP], 2016). This category distinction from housing vacancy from the Netherlands is best shown in the handbook by Camstra et al. (2022) tackling vacancy 2.0: residential and agricultural properties, from the VNG in a small table 2.1:

2.3. Conclusion After all the definitions and categorization of vacancy the following definition and categorization of vacant houses is what will be used in this report and for the Municipality of Waalwijk. With the definition being a combination of all sounding along the lines of; Not being in use or not being in use by virtue of a property or personal right. No one is registered at an address and no user or economic activity is known. Being unoccupied. And for the categorization of the vacant houses in the Municipality of Waalwijk can be very broad but with this report there will mainly take into account three that is primarily used. These are friction vacancy what is vacancy that is necessary for the proper functioning of the housing market, time between tenants or seller and buyer, duration of maximum a year. Next one is mutation vacancy what is more for the change of the tenants where the previous tenants make preparations of the house for the new tenant. This has a duration mostly of just a month with a maximum of a year. Following structural vacancy what is vacancy of a house that for various reasons is not occupied, this has a duration of longer than a year being vacant. Continuing on in this research there will be a focus on the structural vacant houses in the Municipality of Waalwijk that have been vacant than longer than a year.

Table 2.1 Vacancy classification. Retrieved from Handreiking Leegstand te lijf 2.0: Woningen en agrarisch vastgoed, by Camstra et al, 2022. Translated/ Recreated by (de Bresser, 2025).

In this table 2.1 it does not show the description of the different kind of vacancy there are, but it does show how long it takes to be considered friction, mutation, or structural vacancy. For the case of housing vacancy in the Netherlands.

05-06-2025 Kane de Bresser

3. National Legal and Policy Frameworks To address the issue of vacancy there have been various legal, and policy measures implemented to encourage the re-occupation of vacant houses. In this chapter the focus is on the exploration of the legal and policy measures currently in place to bring vacant houses back in use. Additionally, it also touches briefly on whether certain legal and policy measures withhold people from renting or selling their house.

3.1. Vacancy Act The Vacancy Act is the primary legal framework for addressing building vacancy in the Netherlands. To tackle vacancy of houses, shops and offices, municipalities can use the Lw (Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting en Ruimtelijke Ordening [VRO], 2024a).

The law was first introduced in 1981, where the law mainly consisted of the obligation to report, requisition of building by the Municipality after five months of vacancy, and temporary letting. Where in 1992 the Housing Act (continued as: Hvw) was introduced, transferring obligation to report and requisition of buildings of the Lw to the Hvw. Temporary letting stays under the Lw. In 2010 the Lw became Squatting and Vacancy Act, where they introduced the vacancy ordinance, Obligation to report here only applied to nonresidential properties (VRO, 2024a).

This law consists of two parts. The first part provides municipalities with a vacancy ordinance instrument and the second part of the law allows temporary letting under the Lw (VRO, 2024a). Continuing on these two parts will be explained a bit more in detail, in 3.1.1. and 3.1.2. as well as some future plans for the act in 3.1.3.

In 2010 the Crisis and Recovery Act (continued as: Chw) was also introduced including an easing of rent regulation for temporary letting under the Lw, this became embedded in the Lw itself in 2013. In 2013 the Lw became separate again and got an extension of temporary letting options. In 2014 a modification was made with an obligation to report is again applicable for housing in the Lw and removed from the Hvw as well as the requisition of building that expires in total. In 2016 another modification was made with an expansion of the temporary letting. And lastly in 2021 the Chw got an experiment deviating from the Lw, with shorter periods, and introduction compulsory letting, this is only applicable in Amsterdam and Utrecht (VRO, 2024a). 27

Structural housing vacancy in municipality Waalwijk

3.1.1. Vacancy Ordinance

3.1.1.1. Obligation to report

3.1.1.3. Nomination user

The Municipality may choose to draw up a vacancy Ordinance. The vacancy ordinance is a condition to use the tools of the obligation to report, the conversation with the owner, and the nomination of a user. In the ordinance the Municipality should include the frameworks and timeframes for the application of the following instruments (VRO, 2024a):

Under the obligation to report, notifications must be kept on a vacancy list. In this, the Municipality also includes properties that have been found to be vacant officially and whose vacancy should have been reported by the owner (Lw, 2024, art. 3:3 lid 2).

If the vacancy continues than the Municipality may nominate a user to the owner of the vacant building. This nomination has two requirements.

•

The starting point of the vacancy consultation is a shared responsibility, what not only involves exploring the options available to the owner to end the vacancy, but also the options available to the Municipality to support the owner in doing so. With this conversation the Municipality can for example advise to use the vacant house as a loaned rental (anti-squatting) or temporary letting under the Lw (VRO 2024a).

•

• •

•

The categories of buildings and areas in the Municipality to which an obligation to report after at least six months applies; Further rules on reporting vacant properties; (because some municipalities require that the report also include information about the characteristics of the building or the reason of vacancy.) The period after the college may propose a user for the vacant building; (at least 12 months after vacancy.) An administrative fine may be imposed for violation of the general obligation to report, and the obligation to report that a nominated user of the building has stopped using it; The amount of the administrative fine in case of violation. This is at most the amount set for the third category in Article 23, Lid 4, of the Criminal Code (this is as of the 1st of January 2024, €10.300 euros) (VRO, 2024a).

The sections of the Vacancy ordinance contain an element of sequence. First the vacancy must be reported; if vacancy continues, the Municipality will enter into a conversation with the owner; if the property than remains vacant then, the Municipality may nominate a user. The components are described in more detail in 3.1.1.1. up to 3.1.1.3.

3.1.1.2. Conversation with owner

After the consultation, the Municipality can declare the building or parts of it ‘suitable for use’. The main issue is whether investments are necessary to bring the building back into use and whether those investments are reasonably be asked of the owner. If the Municipality believes that any necessary investments are reasonable, they will determine in the vacancy decision that the building is ‘suitable for use’. In this case it means ‘suitable for use’ after the necessary investments have been made. Another outcome of the conversation may also be that the owner is granted more time to find a user for his building himself. (VRO, 2024a).

• The vacancy takes longer than in the vacancy regulation period is specified of at least 12 months; (Lw, 2024, art. 4:5 lid 1) • A nomination cannot be done if the vacancy decision does not state that the building or a part of it is ‘suitable for use’ (Lw, 2024, art. 4:5 lid 2) The Municipality can also in their decision nominate more than one person as a user. And if the building need facilities to function normally again they can compel the owner to instal those facilities in a set period of time, and if necessary, impose any other conditions on the implementation of the decision. (Lw, 2024, art. 4:6)

The owner is obliged to offer the nominated user an agreement to occupy the vacant building within three months of the nomination. This will not apply if the owner has entered into an agreement with another user within their specified period of time, where their user will occupy the building within a reasonable period of time. And the owner needs to report the vacancy of the building after four weeks of termination of the use, unless the building has been in use for more than a year. (Lw, 2024, art. 4:7) All these steps can be found back in the ordinance for this ordinance is already a basic fill in format from the VNG made available. The vacancy ordinance that municipalities can implement from the VNG can be found in appendix 12.1

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