Amsterdam has significantly increased in popularity during the last decade: most of the inner city neighbourhoods are experiencing gentrification and the population has grown steadily – in 2012 the milestone of 800,000 inhabitants was passed. This success relates to the city’s function as an ‘escalator’: many young people move to the city to study or find work. At a later point in time, they might move out. Partly because housing construction has not kept up with population growth and growing housing market pressures this function is threatened.