FEBRUARY 2022 | 9
NATIONAL
Structural shortage of police for the next three years
House robbed or bike stolen? Don’t expect a calvary of blue-uniformed police officers in screeching car wheels and blaring sirens to come to the rescue. According to a report released to the national broadcasting services NOS in early January, Dutch national police forces are alarmingly understaffed. This year alone, the current police force of 47,000 employees needs an additional 1,400 people just to carry out the already existing workload. That might not seem like a lot, but especially with extra police manpower required to enforce Covid regulations and maintain public law and order, it is. With the Dutch government’s anti-Covid regulations requiring the horeca (the hotel, restaurant and catering sector) and the cultural sector to remain closed, local police authorities are having a tough time of enforcing the government’s unpopular measures. On 19 January more than 70 cultural venues throughout the country opened their doors to the public in protest, stating they were “essential businesses” and deserved to be open. Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw turned into a hair salon, with clients getting haircuts on the podium while in the background a full orchestra played to an audience. In Zaandam, the Zaanse Museum, which features local artists and is surrounded by windmills characteristic of Zaandam, transformed into an alternative location for Yoga Studio De Weer, where owner, Lizette ten Kate, had her students in downward-facing dog poses and their arms and legs in windmill postures. The police of Amsterdam and Zaandam were at their wit’s end. With not enough manpower, city governments and police authorities embarrassedly watched, and could only issue a warning to museum and concert hall directors. Besides enforcing Covid laws, local police forces are also
expected to maintain law and order at demonstrations and protest rallies. Especially in The Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, where the frustration of protestors towards the current government’s Covid measures has repeatedly conveyed by stones and fireworks thrown at law officers. It is no coincidence that these three cities are even more in need of police officers than other municipalities in the Netherlands. However, according to the national police report, the pandemic is not the only reason for the lack of staff. In recent years, the Dutch government has had to budget additional funding for the national police force to fight organized crime and address cybercrime, which is becoming ever more rampant. The budget for 2022 alone is a staggering 6.4 billion euros, one billion more than six years ago. However, the lack of law officers is not only due to the pandemic and new tasks required from the police. The personnel problem is also general labour problem in the whole western world, as the Baby Boom generation (born between 1946 and 1964) is starting to retire and leave the labour force. According to Pew Research Center, in the US, for example, last year approximately 28.6 million Baby Boomers left the labour market for retirement, which is 3.2 million more than a year earlier. In the Netherlands, 1.9 million Baby Boomers are expected to retire in the coming years, with only 1.6 million people available to fill their shoes. That will only add to the already existing shortage on the labour market. For the second quarter of 2021, Statistics Netherlands reported that for every 130 job vacancies there were only 100 unemployed. This was a drastic increase from a year earlier, when the pandemic broke out, and the number of unemployed rose drastically.
For the national police, however, help is on the way. With 4,500 officers annually being trained for the next three years, the Dutch national police is hopeful to solve its personnel problem. In 2025, all ranks of the police force are expected to be fully staffed again; the number of new trainees will then be reduced to 4,000. Hence, the shortage of law officers is expected to be only a temporary issue. However, until then, don’t expect the police to fight petty crimes and have time for friendly chit-chat in the street. Written by Benjamin B. Roberts
House prices skyrocketing in many places The housing market in the Netherlands is experiencing its highest price surge in over 20 years. The Dutch Association of Real Estate Agents (NVM) released quarterly numbers that show this increase. Its data showcased that the average property price in the Netherlands increased by 20.7 percent in the last three months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. In today’s market, the average residence costs 438 000 euros. The prices fluctuate depending on region, with some regions outside of the Randstad experiencing an increase in pricing by more than 25 percent. Outside of the Randstad, prices climbed the fastest. Northern Drenthe is the absolute highlight, a region named the best place to live in the world four years ago. Within a year, the cost of housing increased by 28.5 percent. Furthermore, the number of residences available for purchase has dropped by a third and a quarter fewer homes were sold. In explaining the housing situation and its correlation with pricing, the NVM says: “The flow is hampered by too little supply and the shortage is pushing up prices. This is how the dichotomy between homeowners and home seekers is growing.”
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Higher asking price, fewer houses Additional data reveals that four out of five houses were sold for more than the asking amount. Terraced residences experienced the fastest price growth this quarter, rising 22.5 percent over the previous year. In today’s market, a terraced property costs on average 386,000 euros. A house for sale in the fourth quarter took an average of 23 days to sell, a day longer than in the third quarter. According to the NVM, this indicates that the lower limit in terms of sales time has been reached. In the fourth quarter, 35,000 residences were sold, down by 23% from the previous year. In the fourth quarter, more than 36,500 properties were listed for sale, a 16 percent decrease from the previous year. More than 141,000 properties were listed for sale in the year 2021. This is a significant decrease from past years, when the average hovered around 171,000. The scarcity of available homes for sale contributes to the housing market craziness. There isa considerable demand for owner-occupied homes, and when there is a high demand for something and a limited supply, prices rise. Experts warn, however, that the significance of the restricted supply should not be overstated. Chairman of the NVM Onno Hoes comments: “It is critical to place a greater emphasis on a broader range of housing
options. That is why we need to get new construction started as soon as possible. The housing market will then begin to flow again.” A resolution in sight? In recent years, the NVM, along with many other housingrelated parties, has campaigned for a specific minister who will be in charge of spatial planning in the Netherlands once again. Now, Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning Hugo de Jonge has been appointed. His mission is to resurrect the stagnant market. De Jonge, commenting on the housing crisis, states: “Brokers know like no other how many Dutch people need a suitable home. That is why we also have to get new building projects going quickly.” Adding another layer to the housing issue is real estate expert Hans de Geus, who voices concern regarding the financial ability of people who want to purchase houses: “You have to start taxing equity. That way you ensure that people can’t just offer higher amounts, and then first-time buyers don’t have to participate in the race anymore.” According to the coalition agreement, the government will primarily focus on new construction. There is currently a shortage of roughly 300,000 houses; an additional one million dwellings must be built by 2030 to keep pace with demand. In the next few years, the new Rutte IV cabinet expects the building industry to produce 100,000 new homes and 15,000 temporary homes – a good start, but will it be enough? Written by Nicole Kerr
26-01-2022 20:35
