Community centers De Boschbloem and Alettahof sign a renewed lease agreement

The Bloemenwijk Boschgeest Community Center Association, the Noord-Hofland Association, and the municipality of Voorschoten have signed a new lease agreement for their activity centers, De Boschbloem and Alettahof. The renewed leases take effect on January 1, 2021. The agreements clearly outline mutual duties and responsibilities, such as management and maintenance.

Both community associations have been renting buildings from the municipality for years: De Boschbloem on Baron Schimmelpenninck van der Oyelaan and the Alettahof on Aletta Jacobsplantsoen. Starting this year, every municipality must comply with the Market and Government Act. The revised lease agreements for both community centers are based on this national legislation. This means that Voorschoten must pass on the actual costs when renting out its properties by charging a cost-recovery rent. As a result, the rent may increase significantly.

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Over the past few months, the community center boards and the municipality have held several discussions on how to deal with the new law. Alderman Marcel Cramwinckel (Real Estate): “This requires a tailored approach. As non-commercial institutions, community centers must not suffer financial losses. That is why they can make use of the 2019 rent compensation subsidy program to offset the adverse effects of the new rent. Our guiding principle is that community centers should be able to continue offering their social and community activities to local residents in the future as well.”