Walnut crisis persists, but is building rage the solution?

The Standard, June 15, 2025

The cote crisis continues to drag on despite a construction spree of new student residences. According to Stadim’s annual Kotkompas, 70,000 more kots will be needed by 2030. Frederik Boumans, partner at Stadim, calls that goal ambitious and unrealistic. Permit procedures, strict building codes and neighborhood protests are delaying expansion. Meanwhile, prices, averaging 575 euros per month, are skyrocketing. Cities such as Ghent and Leuven are trying to encourage affordable “basic rooms” through regulation, but experts warn of a long-term oversupply and argue for flexible forms of housing. Read the full article here.