Income Standards for Affordable Housing Allocation by Utrecht Housing Corporations

In Utrecht, affordable housing allocation requires housing corporations such as Portaal, Bo-Ex and Woonbron to take your income into account when allocating social rental housing. The income standard determines whether you qualify for housing in the social sector. For 2024, the threshold is €47,699 for a single person and €52,671 for a multi-person household. Utrecht corporations must allocate 80% of their social rental housing to households below this standard, and 90% within the 'affordable' rent price up to €808.06 gross per month. This helps distribute the scarce housing in neighbourhoods such as Kanaleneiland, Overvecht and Lombok among lower income groups. If your income exceeds the standard, you risk losing priority on the Utrecht housing market. In case of exceedance due to temporary factors, such as a one-off bonus or freelance assignments, you can lodge an objection with the corporation. The Housing Authority monitors compliance nationally, but locally you can contact the municipality of Utrecht for advice on the Housing Market Regulation. In the event of a breach of the rules, you must first file a complaint with the corporation or the Rent Tribunal in Utrecht. Unresolved? Proceed to the district court in Utrecht. Prove your situation with recent tax returns, payslips and, if applicable, employer statements. This prevents allocation of housing with rent that is too high, which causes rent arrears – a major problem in the Utrecht rental sector. Always consult the current income limits on rijksoverheid.nl and check the website of the municipality of Utrecht for local urgency criteria.