Rent increase strategies and distributive justice: the socio-spatial effects of rent control policy in Amsterdam

Rent controls and rent setting regulation in different contexts incorporate and balance different aims, in particular when securing affordability and the effective distribution of scarce housing by incorporating market mechanisms. As rent policy is frequently discussed in terms of affordability or market functioning in broad terms, small-scale distributive socio-spatial effects are often not regarded. In this paper, three strategies under the new rent sum policy are compared against the former policy and practice for Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to observe the effects of distributive justice. The new rent policy partly decentralizes rent increase decisions from the national level to local authorities and housing associations. Using microdata on all social housing units and their tenants' distributive justice, outcomes under the former policy and practice are observed for a 6-year period (2008-2014) and the effects of three different rent increase strategies under the new rent sum policy are forecasted for the same period, combining an ex ante and an ex post evaluation. The possibilities for housing associations to vary rent increases for different groups of tenants in order to improve distributive justice outcomes are explored. Results show that all three possible strategies decrease the observed affordability gap between new and long-term tenants. Valuing the distributions of these strategies by applying two different standards for distributive justice shows the rent sum policy may only result in modest improvements.

Design and Preliminary Evaluation of a Stiff Steerable Cutter for Arthroscopic Procedures

This article describes a novel and simple shaft actuated tip articulation (SATA) mechanism that allows arthroscopic instruments to articulate while remaining stiff. Since the SATA mechanism requires only independent rotation of two tubes for hinge articulation, cables, gears, or other internal components that are normally found in steerable endoscopic instruments become obsolete. The SATA mechanism was integrated in a new steerable cutter prototype and tested. Early user, mechanical strength and cadaver experiments were performed that indicate that this first prototype withstands an axial and sideways force of 100 N and 20 N, that trained users can (dis)assemble the instrument in less than 1.5 min and that a surgeon is able to reach all important locations on the menisci.

How housing associations lose their value: the value gap in The Netherlands

Purpose

This paper aims to present a model that analyses the value gap, the difference between vacant possession value and tenanted investment value, for the houses of Dutch housing associations. The paper also aims to explore why the value gap is a structural phenomenon in The Netherlands and why it is an important factor contributing to the malfunctioning of the housing market. This gives an interesting expansion of the value gap theory.

Design/methodology/approach

By using the well‐known concept of user costs and using market equilibrium as a reference, the model quantifies the influence of six factors that cause the value gap. This is done for The Netherlands in total and for each of the 452 housing associations separately.

Findings

The value gap between the owner‐occupied and the rental sector is immense. This is especially the case with the rented houses owned by the housing associations, constituting one‐third of the total housing stock. The vacant possession value of these houses is on average €151,000; the reported tenanted investment value is no more than €33,000. Important factors that are responsible for this gap are, on the one hand, the fiscal subsidies in the owner‐occupied sector and, on the other hand, rent control and the policy of the housing associations characterised by a low rent level and high maintenance and management costs.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that analyses and quantifies the factors contributing to the value lost by Dutch housing associations' operations.

Prevention of suicides in Penal Institutions in The Netherlands

As in other countries, suicides are a matter of great concern in The Netherlands. This article addresses suicide-prevention measures in prisons in The Netherlands. It focuses primarily on screening, monitoring, incapacitation, psychological support, and transferal to specialized institutions. In addition, it asks which practices are common, which can be improved, and the limitations of certain strategies. Relatively speaking, The Netherlands does not appear to be doing too badly in terms of preventive measures, although there is room for improvement.