The Position of Young Adults on the Amsterdam Housing Market. Combining the Housing Pathway and the Capability Approach

Abstract

In Amsterdam, young people face persistent housing difficulties due to soaring house prices and rents, precarious labour conditions, shrinking social housing, and ongoing gentrification. Drawing on 40 in-depth life course interviews, this paper investigates how young people navigate these constraints and how their housing strategies intertwine with other aspects of their lives and existing policies. By combining the Housing Pathway and Capability Approaches, we offer a fresh perspective on the structural and personal factors shaping housing trajectories. Empirically, we conclude that the severity of Amsterdam’s housing problem directly shapes young people’s labour and educational choices. Furthermore, housing opportunities and strategies differ significantly among young people, a variation that only emerges through qualitative research and attention to conversion factors. Theoretically, we demonstrate the added value of integrating the two frameworks: the Housing Pathway Approach enhances the Capability Approach methodologically, while the latter reinforces the normative and policy-relevant aspects of the first.