Rabo Impact Foundation supports the construction of 140 affordable homes
New impact financing for two Amsterdam housing cooperatives
In Amsterdam, two housing cooperatives are pioneering a new way of living. Project Eureka! in the Kolenkitbuurt and De Torteltuin in IJburg are in total developing 140 rental homes, primarily in the affordable mid-market rental segment. Residents are not simply tenants; they also share responsibility for managing their community, shaping their living environment and social connections. In this way, affordability, sustainability and community spirit become integral parts of everyday living.
Rabo Impact Foundation is providing impact financing totaling EUR 5 million to support the construction of 140 new affordable rental homes. The funding helps bridge a critical financing gap, enabling both projects to move forward.
Project Eureka! - bringing generations together
In Amsterdam’s Kolenkitbuurt, Eureka! is developing a residential complex comprising 100 affordable rental homes. The project has been deliberately designed to bring younger and older generations together: half of the residents will be under the age of 50 and half over 50.
This mix of residents is a cornerstone of the cooperative’s vision. Residents share not only the building itself, but also responsibility for their wider living environment. The cooperative is designed to encourage social interaction, where people know one another, spend time together and support each other when needed. Eureka! demonstrates how collective living can strengthen social connections in an ageing society, where mutual support is becoming increasingly important.
The complex is designed to achieve an A+++ energy rating. Its design places a strong emphasis on community interaction, with features including a large shared kitchen and communal spaces. The development will also provide facilities for the wider neighbourhood, including a community centre (Huis van de Wijk) and a youth centre, creating value for both residents and local people.
"Securing financing for a housing cooperative proved far from straightforward, despite a significant contribution from our own members,” says Julius Schrijvers, Chair of Eureka!. “Rabo Impact Foundation helped close the final financing gap, which played an important role in allowing construction to begin. Fantastic!"
De Torteltuin - collective living in harmony with people and nature
In IJburg, a group of young Amsterdammers is developing De Torteltuin, a residential complex comprising 40 homes. Residents are jointly developing, managing and living in the community, with social and ecological living at its core.
The building is being constructed entirely from timber, designed to be energy-neutral and fitted with a circular façade. Its design is inspired by the principles of permaculture: using materials, energy and space responsibly while creating systems that work together and reinforce one another.
In addition to their homes, residents will share facilities such as a communal kitchen, workshop spaces, a DIY workspace and landscaped rooftop terraces. The result will be a compact, connected community that actively seeks to build relationships both with each other and with the surrounding neighbourhood.
“Working together is sometimes more challenging than doing it alone, but the rewards are far greater,” says Jelle Don, Board Member of De Torteltuin.
Why Rabo Impact Foundation invests
Affordable housing is urgently needed. At the same time, new collective housing models such as housing cooperatives often struggle to get off the ground. Their funding requirements do not always fit within traditional financing structures. While banks and public funds can often provide a substantial portion of the required financing, they are not always able to cover the full amount.
This is precisely where Rabo Impact Foundation aims to make a difference. Through these investments, the foundation is helping make the construction of 140 affordable homes possible while also supporting the continued development and scaling-up of housing cooperatives across the Netherlands.
These projects alone will not solve the housing shortage. However, they can serve as powerful examples of how collective housing models can contribute to affordable, socially connected and future-proof homes. Wherever conventional financing falls short, Rabo Impact Foundation seeks to enable projects with the potential to generate meaningful social impact.