Stadgenoot

Stadgenoot is a Dutch housing association (woningcorporatie) based in Amsterdam and one of the six large social housing providers in the city. It was created in 2008 through the merger of the Algemene Woningbouw Vereniging (AWV), founded in 1910, and Het Oosten, a Roman Catholic housing association founded in 1911 by workers of the Oostergasfabriek. Both predecessors were rooted in the severe housing shortage and slum conditions of early twentieth-century Amsterdam, when the municipality declared thousands of dwellings uninhabitable. The organisation manages a large portfolio of social rental housing, housing for special groups, and liberalised-sector rentals. As of 2017 it owned nearly 25,000 social rental homes, more than 5,000 units for special groups, and over 1,500 liberalised-sector rental homes. The special-group units serve older people and specific populations including women's shelters, supervised housing for young people, and accommodation for people with intellectual disabilities and for homeless people. In 2017 its equity stood at EUR 2,416 million, with an operating result of EUR 81 million and 357 employees. Stadgenoot operates primarily in Amsterdam and Diemen, and its tenants search and respond to homes through the regional platform Woningnet (DĀK). The association provides services such as rent payment, repair reporting, nuisance reporting, housing search, and priority arrangements for tenants whose homes have become too large or who struggle with stairs. It also runs information campaigns on topics such as damp and mould. The merger that created Stadgenoot coincided with a period of scale enlargement in the Dutch housing association sector, driven by an expanding set of tasks: managing public space, housing care and social institutions, building middle-rent and owner-occupied homes, and operating commercial real estate. The mission was framed as "working with passion on quality for everyone, in a city to love." However, the 2008 merger came at an unfavourable moment: the sale of owner-occupied homes stalled during the economic downturn, and several peer associations fell into disrepute over integrity issues and failed commercial ventures. The Dutch government's Housing Act (Woningwet) of 2015 ended the broad interpretation of the sector's task, refocusing associations on housing people who cannot manage on the free market and imposing a landlord levy (verhuurderheffing). For Stadgenoot this meant shrinking and divesting buildings and land positions that no longer fit its core task. After 2016 Stadgenoot set itself the goal of offering affordable social rental housing to those who depend on it by income, including young urbanites temporarily reliant on social housing. The organisation also abandoned its two-headed leadership structure. Frank Bijdendijk, who enabled home sales to fund new construction and gave tenants substantial influence over their home layouts, was succeeded in 2011 by Marien de Langen. The other founding board member, Gerard Anderiesen, who introduced temporary contracts for starters on the housing market, left in 2016. As of 2017 De Langen formed the board. Stadgenoot's headquarters are housed in two national monuments on the Sarphatistraat in Amsterdam: the former National Medicines Warehouse and the adjacent National Goods Warehouse.

Stadgenoot was formed in 2008 through the merger of two Amsterdam housing associations with deep roots in the city's social housing movement. The Algemene Woningbouw Vereniging (AWV) was founded in 1910, and Het Oosten was founded in 1911 as a Roman Catholic housing association by workers of the Oostergasfabriek. Both emerged from the dire housing conditions of early twentieth-century Amsterdam, where a large shortage of good and affordable homes led the municipality to declare thousands of slums uninhabitable. The merger between AWV and Het Oosten reflected a broader trend of scale enlargement among Dutch housing associations at the start of the twenty-first century. Larger organisations were deemed necessary because of an expanding set of tasks: greater responsibility for managing public space, housing care and social institutions, building middle-rent and owner-occupied homes, and operating commercial real estate. The mission adopted was "working with passion on quality for everyone, in a city to love." The 2008 merger, however, came at an unfavourable moment. Economic adversity stalled the sale of owner-occupied homes for a long period. In addition, several peer housing associations fell into disrepute because of a lack of integrity and failed commercial ventures. The government responded with the Housing Act (Woningwet) of 2015, which ended the broad interpretation of the sector's task. The focus returned to housing people who cannot manage on the free market. Housing associations were also subjected to a landlord levy (verhuurderheffing). For Stadgenoot this meant, among other things, that the organisation became smaller and that buildings and land positions no longer fitting the association were divested. After 2016 Stadgenoot set itself the goal of providing affordable social rental housing to those who depend on it by income, including young urbanites temporarily reliant on a social rental home. The organisation also moved away from its two-headed leadership structure. Frank Bijdendijk, who made it possible for homes to be sold to fund new construction and gave tenants substantial influence over the layout of their homes, was succeeded in 2011 by Marien de Langen. The other founding board member, Gerard Anderiesen, who launched the idea of offering temporary contracts to starters on the housing market, left in 2016. As of 2017 De Langen formed the board. Stadgenoot's headquarters are located in two national monuments on the Sarphatistraat in Amsterdam: the former National Medicines Warehouse (Rijksmagazijn voor Geneesmiddelen) and the adjacent National Goods Warehouse (Rijksgoederenmagazijn). As of 2017 the association owned nearly 25,000 social rental homes, more than 5,000 units for special groups, and over 1,500 liberalised-sector rental homes. Its equity stood at EUR 2,416 million, with an operating result of EUR 81 million and 357 employees. The special-group units are intended for older people and particular groups: women's shelters, supervised housing for young people, and accommodation for people with intellectual disabilities and for homeless people.

• 2017

  Stadgenoot owns nearly 25,000 social rental homes, over 5,000 special-group units, and over 1,500 liberalised-sector rentals; equity EUR 2,416 million; 357 employees.

• 2016

  Gerard Anderiesen leaves; Stadgenoot sets goal of affordable social rental housing for those dependent on it by income.

• 2015

  Dutch Housing Act (Woningwet) ends broad task interpretation; landlord levy imposed.

• 2011

  Frank Bijdendijk succeeded by Marien de Langen as board member.

• 2008

  Stadgenoot formed through the merger of AWV and Het Oosten.

• 1911

  Het Oosten founded as a Roman Catholic housing association by workers of the Oostergasfabriek.

• 1910

  Algemene Woningbouw Vereniging (AWV) founded.

One of Amsterdam's six major housing associations, focused on affordable social rental housing for people who cannot manage on the free market, including young urbanites temporarily reliant on social housing.

• Social rental housing

  Affordable rental homes for people who depend on social housing by income.

• Housing for special groups

  Units for older people, women's shelters, supervised housing for young people, and accommodation for people with intellectual disabilities and homeless people.

• Liberalised-sector rental housing

  Rental homes in the liberalised (non-social) sector.

1. 1Stadgenoot - Amsterdamse woningcorporatie - Homestadgenoot.nl
2. 2Stadgenoot - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Stadgenoot - Wikipedia (Dutch)nl.wikipedia.org