Bonaire expects stable housing market only in five to ten years

KRALENDIJK – It may take another five to ten years before Bonaire has a stable housing market in which affordability, availability and liveability are better balanced. That is what deputy Jennifer Mohamedjoenoes says in an interview with Binnenlands Bestuur. In the shorter term, the executive council primarily wants to address existing bottlenecks and accelerate the construction of homes.

According to Mohamedjoenoes, the first problems can be tackled within two years, partly by accelerating ongoing housing construction projects and realising more social rental housing. A substantial expansion of building land and social rental housing she does not expect until within three to five years. For a structurally better functioning housing market, the deputy mentions a timeframe of five to ten years.

The statements provide, for the first time, a clearer indication of the timeframe the island’s government itself has in mind to reduce the major problems on the housing market. Bonaire has been struggling for years with a shortage of affordable rental and owner-occupied homes.

Demand far exceeds supply

Mohamedjoenoes, who has housing among her portfolio responsibilities, speaks of a serious imbalance on the housing market in her interview with Binnenlands Bestuur. Particularly families with low and middle incomes, young people wishing to live independently, and elderly people dependent on social housing have difficulty finding suitable accommodation, she says.

The deputy wants to focus on faster housing construction, expansion of social rental housing, regulatory measures and better use of available land. Bonaire also wants more financial support from the Netherlands. According to Mohamedjoenoes, residents must be able to see that the government is once again taking greater control of the housing market.

Action List Housing Bonaire

Also new is that, according to Binnenlands Bestuur, a so-called Action List Housing Bonaire has meanwhile been drawn up by the cabinet. It contains concrete measures to address the housing crisis. With this action list, the island government is working, according to Mohamedjoenoes, on accelerating permit procedures, preparing suitable building plots and new social housing projects.

Which housing projects exactly fall under the action list, how many homes are to be realised through it, and what deadlines are attached to it, are not mentioned in the Binnenlands Bestuur article.

New policy agenda

New steps are also being prepared from The Hague. Housing Minister Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan informs Binnenlands Bestuur that work is currently underway on a new policy agenda for the period 2027 through 2030.

In addition, the Council of State’s advice on new housing legislation for Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius is being processed. According to the minister, specific attention is being paid to the applicability of the legislation on Bonaire. She also says she intends to visit the island, but no date has yet been set.

Higher costs on Bonaire

Mohamedjoenoes emphasises that national solutions cannot simply be applied to Bonaire. Construction and operating costs on the island are higher than in European Netherlands and the housing market is much smaller. As a result, models used in European Netherlands for housing corporations do not always work well on Bonaire.

She also cites limited implementation capacity, high construction costs and dependence on imports as factors that make housing construction on Bonaire more complex. However, the executive council is, according to her, now experiencing greater attention from the Netherlands, with more intensive consultations, technical support and a greater willingness to invest in public housing.

Source: Binnenlands Bestuur, article ‘Housing crisis on Bonaire’, week 33 2026.