Private homeowners
The group of homeowners comprises of a very diverse group that consists of private owner-occupiers, private investors and large professional investors with thousands of properties.
Private homeowners generally have a strong commitment to their own homes, gardens and neighbourhoods. They will therefore approach the situation with the question: ‘What’s in it for me’. If there is flooding in their neighbourhood, they will cooperate, provided that they are consistently involved and supported in word and deed. Some municipalities stimulate residents’s participation through extra subsidies for the construction of green roofs, water storage and the greening of gardens. To inspire and motivate private homeowners to action, the organization of workshops, garden competitions, informative meet-ups, and subsidies can be effective.
Small private and large investors in houses that rent out one or more buildings are less approachable to cooperate with. Sometimes they are very cooperative, sometimes very difficult to persuade to take climate adaptive measures. Cost efficiency is paramount. In general, there must be a need or an attractive subsidy to persuade them to take climate-adaptive measures. Some municipalities in the Netherlands already set demands relating to water storage and greening on private property in new construction. However, Dutch law requires that large, professional homeowners make their home ownership more sustainable by 2021, at least up to C energy label level.