Optimal Financing Commercial Property of a Dutch Housing Association

In January 2011, new regulations for housing associations were introduced in the Netherlands. These regulations include a more strict division between social and commercial activities for housing associations. According to the regulations, commercial property should be financed without State aid. Housing associations responded very negatively to the regulations, emphasizing the importance of these activities for the liveability of neighbourhood. They claimed that it would be very difficult or even impossible to finance their activities without State aid. Financing without State aid is a new topic for many Dutch housing associations. In this academic publication, the optimal financing structure for new commercial projects of one Dutch housing association, Mitros is analyzed. Optimal capital structure, debt maturity and variability of interest rates will be discussed by using both qualitative and quantitative (WACC & CAPM) analysis. This book also describes how determinants from existing corporate financing theories work out for this specific case.