During PROVADA 2026, the housing market is quite literally on the front line. What used to be a system with flexibility is now firmly stuck. Shortages are structural, capital is scarce, and the available product does not sufficiently match demand. Demand is no longer about whether we need to intervene – but how we are going to win this battle together.

Under the overarching theme All Stand Together we put a thought-provoking, yet necessary question: are we actually standing side by side? Or is everyone still operating from their own trench?

From direction to realisation

The government – represented by the Ministry of VRO – wants to take clear control. But what if the very same regulations slow down the pace? What if policy and practice get in each other’s way when it comes to delivering desperately needed (square) metres?In this debate, we bring the entire chain together:

Government (Ministry VRO) – on direction, policy and enabling conditions
Housing association HaagWonen – on affordability and the social agenda
Developer and investor Amvest – on investment willingness and returns
Developing builder Plegt-Vos – on buildability and scaling up

Together, we explore where the system is breaking down – and where it can get moving again.

What do we need to win?

Defence always asks the same core question in its operations: what do you need in order to organise combat effectiveness? The answer is clear: sufficient personnel, good equipment and a clear strategy.The parallel with the housing market is undeniable.

Personnel → capacity in construction and within government
Equipment → locations, permits and financing
Strategy → consistent direction and clear choices

Without these three elements, every ambition remains stuck at good intentions.

From demand-led to supply-led

A fundamental discussion in this debate is whether we should move from demand-led to supply-led development. Do we continue to deliver bespoke solutions in an overheated market, or do we choose standardisation and industrial construction to achieve speed?This is precisely where the sector can make the difference. By organising more intelligently, building faster and distributing risks differently.

The rental market under pressure

A specific pain point is the rental housing market, which is visibly shrinking. As a result of sales of social housing and other withdrawals, the stock is falling, while demand remains high unabated. The effects are tangible: rising rents in the private sector, longer waiting times and increasing pressure on affordability.The central questions:

How do we increase the supply of rental homes?
How do we restore investment willingness among housing associations and investors?
Which enabling conditions are needed in order to build again on a structural basis?

Only by moving forward together – government, housing associations, investors and builders – can we break this downward spiral.

All Stand Together

This debate goes to the heart of PROVADA 2026. Because working together sounds self-evident, but in practice requires sharp choices and shared responsibility. Who takes which role? Who takes the lead? And will we really dare to stand side by side when it gets tense?

Join this debate and think along with the question that concerns all of us: how do we get the housing market moving again – and who is actually standing next to who?

Mohamed Baba

About Mohamed Baba

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Housing debate: The housing market on the front line