BNG / VNG Annual Conference 2026: Working Together to Create Places Where People Want to Live, Thrive, and Connect
30 September 2026During the BNG breakout session “From Steel to Inspiration: Public Housing and Culture Make an Impact” at the 2026 VNG Annual Conference, the central question was how area development takes on meaning for the people who live, work, and gather there.
In an interactive discussion, Gerrolt Ooijman, director of Wonion; Ria Ankersmit, alderwoman for Housing for the municipality of Oude IJsselstreek; and Martin Vols, relationship manager for Housing at BNG, discussed more than thirty years of collaboration on neighborhoods, housing, and living environments. This discussion highlighted how the municipality, housing authority, and financial institution work together to address social challenges. Martin Vols explained how BNG contributes to this through, among other things, long-term financing and green loans for sustainable housing.
Thirty Years of Working Together on a Shared Challenge
Projects such as the DRU Industrial Park, the Vogelbuurt, Heuvelstraat, De Bongerd, and Essenkamp have demonstrated how the partnership between Wonion and the municipality of Oude IJsselstreek has evolved over more than thirty years. Although these projects vary in scale and nature, they all require long-term collaboration on housing development, climate adaptation, health, biodiversity, circularity, water management, and affordability.
It's not the project, but the people who are the focus
The examples from Oude IJsselstreek made it clear that future-proof construction goes beyond housing alone. The choices we make today also determine our quality of life, both now and in the future: from healthy, green neighborhoods and spaces for social interaction to solutions for heat, water, and affordable housing costs. Public housing, quality of life, and sustainability are inextricably linked in this regard.
Connection as a Prerequisite for Progress
A recurring theme was the importance of collaboration between municipalities, housing authorities, public organizations, residents, supply chain partners, and financiers. By bringing together different perspectives, knowledge, and responsibilities, we can develop solutions for today’s challenges and shape the living environment of tomorrow. This aligns with BNG’s belief that social progress is only possible through long-term collaboration.
Continuing to Build the Future Together
The session concluded with a shared conclusion: challenges are constantly changing. That is why organizations must continue to learn, collaborate, and innovate. BNG thanks Gerrolt Ooijman, Ria Ankersmit, and all participants for their contributions to the discussion on the future of housing, quality of life, and social development.