in particular after world war ii the housing associations played a key role in addressing the serious capacity shortages at its peak in the early s social housing in the netherlands covered of the housing stock boelhouwer and priemus with time capacity shortages have decreased reducing the need for public sector intervention in addition public budget concerns and the belief that market provision could generate efficiency gains started a series of housing policy reforms during the early s see boelhouwers and van der heyden at the same time the housing associations that operate social housing have become independent organisations that conditional on prior approval by public authorities can take on commercial private activities so they can raise private capital complementary to public funding these reforms enhanced the independence of social housing associations in the netherlands they no longer have to submit projectinvestment related to social housing for approval by public authorities in advance algemene rekenkamer