Amsterdam city council to buy up social housing to keep it in the public sector New housing under construction in Amsterdam Amsterdam city council is considering investing directly in social housing which is sold off by housing corporations, to make sure that is stays in the rent-controlled sector. City housing chief Laurens Ivens says there is ‘no choice’ other than to buy property to make sure there is no reduction in the amount of social housing in the Dutch capital. Currently, housing corporation property is often bought up by developers and investors who charge higher rents. Housing falls into the social housing sector if the rent is less than €752 per month. Some 40% of Amsterdam’s housing stock is currently rent controlled.