Housing in Rotterdam has become a pressing issue, as the city grapples with a housing shortage and an ambitious agenda for urban transformation. The controversial “Woonvisie Rotterdam 2030” policy aimed to demolish 15,000 affordable flats and build 26,000 new high-end residences by 2030. Historically, Rotterdam’s housing stock was dominated by workers’ dwellings, with new residential areas developed on the outskirts of the city. The central area was traditionally reserved for business. In response to growing demand, the city is now focusing on densification through residential high-rises and also encouraging small, creative infill projects initiated by private developers.

Many of Rotterdam’s neighborhoods, especially those outside the city center, still consist largely of social rental housing, which makes up 58% of the total housing stock. The city’s approach to housing development includes not only large-scale demolitions but also more progressive methods such as the kluswoningen concept—where residents take on renovation projects themselves, creating more affordable options.