Urgency ordinance
The information on this page is intended for all employees of the Frisian local authorities, housing corporations and tenants’ associations in Friesland concerned with the Urgency Ordinance (Housing Ordinance Urgent Home Seekers Fryslân).
What is the urgency ordinance?
The Urgency Ordinance – a fairer distribution of housing due to change in the Housing Act.
There is a pressing need for homes. This is precisely why it is important that there is enough affordable housing and a fair distribution of housing throughout the province of Friesland. A number of vulnerable groups are currently getting left behind. That must change. For that reason, there will be a scheme for these people who urgently need a home, the Urgency Ordinance. This will ensure a fairer distribution of social housing for these vulnerable residents across the province. These people will also be given the help they need to live independently. The 18 Frisian local authorities are working on this together with housing associations and other parties.
Together, we take responsibility for a good home for Friesland’s vulnerable residents.
Documents
Listed below are the documents shared with the Frisian local authorities since December 2024:
- 11 March 2025: Press release – Frisian local authorities together provide faster housing for vulnerable groups.
- 16 December 2024: Attachment to information package Housing Ordinance urgent housing seekers Friesland.
- 16 December 2024: Draft Housing Ordinance urgent housing seekers Friesland – General.
- 16 December 2024: Draft Housing Ordinance urgent housing seekers Friesland – Wadden Islands.
- 16 December 2024: City centre local authority scheme cooperation on the Housing Ordinance for urgent home seekers Friesland.
- 16 December 2024: Council proposal.
Planning
| Local authority actions | When |
|---|---|
| Update sessions held by local authorities | From December 2024 |
| Sending of information package to the coordinating officials of the 18 local authorities | Week 51 2024 |
| Meeting of the executive council’s of all 18 local authorities. | 2025 January |
| Meeting of Social Domain Advisory Councils (ASD), all 18 local authorities | 2025 January |
| Consideration and adoption of city executive proposal by all 18 local councils 2025 (see attached information pack) | 3 to 28 February 2025 |
| Review of urgency ordinance | 10 March to 2 May 2025 |
| Submission of public participation responses by all 18 local authorities | As soon as possible, no later than 7 May 2025 |
| Drafting of response document by project organisation urgency ordinance | Until 28 May 2025 |
| Sending of second information package officials of all 18 local councils | No later than 6 June 2025 |
| Decision-making in all 18 local councils | No later than 12 September 2025 |
| Decision-making in all 18 local councils (ordinance) | No later than 24 October 2025 |
| Decision-making in all local councils (city centre local authority regulation) | Mid-November 2025 |
| Publication | End of November 2025 |
| Entry into force | 1 January 2026 |
Explanation for residents of Frisian local authorities
The Urgency Ordinance – a fairer distribution of housing due to change in the Housing Act.
There is a pressing need for homes. This is precisely why it is important that there is enough affordable housing and a fair distribution of housing. A number of vulnerable groups are currently getting left behind. That must change. There will be a scheme for these people who urgently need a home, the Urgency Ordinance. This will ensure a fairer distribution of social housing for these vulnerable residents across the province. These people will also be given the help they need to live independently. The 18 Frisian local authorities are working on this together with housing associations and other parties.
Vulnerable groups
The groups of home seekers who need a house extra quickly (the urgency groups) are informal caregivers/recipients, people with severe and chronic medical conditions. They also include people receiving from social care, sheltered housing, mental health care, youth care, being released from detention or stopping work as a sex worker. The Frisian local authorities have jointly agreed that this includes another group of home seekers, i.e. asylum seekers. In addition to what is already being done, local authorities will provide additional help to these people to get social housing. This new legislation obliges local authorities to draft an ordinance, the Urgency Ordinance, for these people. The aim is to make enough housing available for these urgency groups. The new law also lays down the descriptions of the groups in question, the urgency groups.
Equal opportunities
The home seekers listed here are already included in the large group of all home seekers. However, because they need a house urgently, the new law gives them priority over other home seekers. This gives them equal chances of finding a home in all local authorities in the Netherlands. Also, all local authorities commit to these vulnerable people in the same way. This gives them chance to find a suitable home.
Allocation and rules
At least two-thirds of the properties released for rent go to home seekers who can search for a home on their own. A maximum of one-third is for people who need a home quickly, the urgency groups. Equal rules for every local authority ensure that allocation is the same in every area. For that reason, this Urgency Ordinance will be adopted by every local authority in Friesland in 2025.
Together, we take responsibility for a good home for Friesland’s vulnerable residents.
Contact
Send an email to urgentieverordening@leeuwarden.nl.
What is the urgency ordinance?
The Urgency Ordinance – a fairer distribution of housing due to change in the Housing Act.
There is a pressing need for homes. This is precisely why it is important that there is enough affordable housing and a fair distribution of housing throughout the province of Friesland. A number of vulnerable groups are currently getting left behind. That must change. For that reason, there will be a scheme for these people who urgently need a home, the Urgency Ordinance. This will ensure a fairer distribution of social housing for these vulnerable residents across the province. These people will also be given the help they need to live independently. The 18 Frisian local authorities are working on this together with housing associations and other parties.
Together, we take responsibility for a good home for Friesland’s vulnerable residents.
Documents
Listed below are the documents shared with the Frisian local authorities since December 2024:
- 11 March 2025: Press release – Frisian local authorities together provide faster housing for vulnerable groups.
- 16 December 2024: Attachment to information package Housing Ordinance urgent housing seekers Friesland.
- 16 December 2024: Draft Housing Ordinance urgent housing seekers Friesland – General.
- 16 December 2024: Draft Housing Ordinance urgent housing seekers Friesland – Wadden Islands.
- 16 December 2024: City centre local authority scheme cooperation on the Housing Ordinance for urgent home seekers Friesland.
- 16 December 2024: Council proposal.
Planning
| Local authority actions | When |
|---|---|
| Update sessions held by local authorities | From December 2024 |
| Sending of information package to the coordinating officials of the 18 local authorities | Week 51 2024 |
| Meeting of the executive council’s of all 18 local authorities. | 2025 January |
| Meeting of Social Domain Advisory Councils (ASD), all 18 local authorities | 2025 January |
| Consideration and adoption of city executive proposal by all 18 local councils 2025 (see attached information pack) | 3 to 28 February 2025 |
| Review of urgency ordinance | 10 March to 2 May 2025 |
| Submission of public participation responses by all 18 local authorities | As soon as possible, no later than 7 May 2025 |
| Drafting of response document by project organisation urgency ordinance | Until 28 May 2025 |
| Sending of second information package officials of all 18 local councils | No later than 6 June 2025 |
| Decision-making in all 18 local councils | No later than 12 September 2025 |
| Decision-making in all 18 local councils (ordinance) | No later than 24 October 2025 |
| Decision-making in all local councils (city centre local authority regulation) | Mid-November 2025 |
| Publication | End of November 2025 |
| Entry into force | 1 January 2026 |
Explanation for residents of Frisian local authorities
The Urgency Ordinance – a fairer distribution of housing due to change in the Housing Act.
There is a pressing need for homes. This is precisely why it is important that there is enough affordable housing and a fair distribution of housing. A number of vulnerable groups are currently getting left behind. That must change. There will be a scheme for these people who urgently need a home, the Urgency Ordinance. This will ensure a fairer distribution of social housing for these vulnerable residents across the province. These people will also be given the help they need to live independently. The 18 Frisian local authorities are working on this together with housing associations and other parties.
Vulnerable groups
The groups of home seekers who need a house extra quickly (the urgency groups) are informal caregivers/recipients, people with severe and chronic medical conditions. They also include people receiving from social care, sheltered housing, mental health care, youth care, being released from detention or stopping work as a sex worker. The Frisian local authorities have jointly agreed that this includes another group of home seekers, i.e. asylum seekers. In addition to what is already being done, local authorities will provide additional help to these people to get social housing. This new legislation obliges local authorities to draft an ordinance, the Urgency Ordinance, for these people. The aim is to make enough housing available for these urgency groups. The new law also lays down the descriptions of the groups in question, the urgency groups.
Equal opportunities
The home seekers listed here are already included in the large group of all home seekers. However, because they need a house urgently, the new law gives them priority over other home seekers. This gives them equal chances of finding a home in all local authorities in the Netherlands. Also, all local authorities commit to these vulnerable people in the same way. This gives them chance to find a suitable home.
Allocation and rules
At least two-thirds of the properties released for rent go to home seekers who can search for a home on their own. A maximum of one-third is for people who need a home quickly, the urgency groups. Equal rules for every local authority ensure that allocation is the same in every area. For that reason, this Urgency Ordinance will be adopted by every local authority in Friesland in 2025.
Together, we take responsibility for a good home for Friesland’s vulnerable residents.
Contact
Send an email to urgentieverordening@leeuwarden.nl.