‘We can be part of the solution rather than the problem’

Abdulkadir lives in his 21-square-metre studio in a building in Amsterdam-Zuid, where mostly students live. He himself studies information technology and works part-time in logistics. The room overlooks Amsterdam RAI station; from his window he sees trains coming and going all day, as a constant reminder of connection and movement.

The room is simply but carefully furnished: a single bed against the wall, a small television, a compact desk containing his laptop and a neat stack of notebooks. In the kitchen, basic kitchen utensils are displayed on shelves. After years of uncertainty, for Abdulkadir this room represents independence and control.

“When I first came to Amsterdam, I was scared,” Abdulkadir says. “It's a big city and I was alone. I didn't know where to start.” Like many status holders, he first stayed in an asylum reception centre. Later, after he received a residence permit, he joined a lodging scheme and lived with a Dutch host family for almost five months. This was arranged through the organisation Takecarebnb, an organisation that hosts refugees with residency status with Dutch families.

Initially, he hesitated. “I saw the announcement in the office, but I was not immediately interested. Only when the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers contacted me and I had consulted with my family did I agree.”

Gorge

The experience changed his outlook on society. “In the asylum centre, I felt like although I lived in the city, I was outside it. There was a gap between me and Dutch citizens,” he says. His time with the host family helped him improve his Dutch and understand society better. “I found that we were more alike than I thought,” he says.”

For almost two and a half years, Abdulkadir has been living in his current home in Amsterdam-Zuid. He pays rent and shares the building with many young residents, including students. “Here I feel equal,” he says. “Whether someone is Dutch or a refugee, everyone is treated the same. That gives me a sense of belonging.”

So finding stable housing was a decisive factor in his life. “In the asylum centre, your main concern is to get housing. You can't really plan your future. Only when you have found that, your motivation grows.” He compares stability to roots in the ground; “It makes you grow.”

Realistic

Yet uncertainties remain. Abdulkadir is registered with a social housing association, the region's social housing distribution system, but he does not understand exactly what his position on the waiting list is. He is also uncertain about the terms and duration of his current lease. “Some things are not entirely clear to me, especially how long I can stay and how an extension works.”

For status holders who received their residence permits in 2021 or earlier, the upcoming elections offer an opportunity to influence local housing policy. Abdulkadir believes refugees are often portrayed negatively in political debates. “We are presented as a problem,” he says. “But we can actually be part of the solution. Many young refugees study, work and contribute.”

Asked if he plans to vote, Abdulkadir replied that he is for practical solutions. “I want a party that is realistic and not extreme,” he explains. A party that oversees what voters really need. For him, housing is not just a place to sleep. It is the basis for getting an education, working and participating in society. In his 21-square-metre room overlooking the railway, a future is now forming that once seemed unattainable.

Amsterdam is facing an unprecedented housing crisis. With an estimated shortage of 350,000 homes nationwide, a significant proportion of which affects the capital, finding a flat has become very difficult. The waiting time for social housing in many areas averages 13 to 15 years, according to WoningNet.