Parliament lacks urgency in tackling homelessness
The cabinet says it cannot guarantee the goal of no homeless people by 2030, while municipalities are calling for faster action.
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The Lower House has criticised the approach to rising homelessness in the Netherlands. The cabinet says it cannot guarantee that no one will be homeless by 2030, while municipalities warn that shelter and support services are coming under increasing pressure.
Minister Mirjam Sterk writes in a progress letter that the ambition to resolve homelessness as quickly as possible remains, but that she cannot guarantee that the Netherlands will have ended homelessness by 2030. According to the progress letter, the cabinet wants to reverse the rising trend through more intensive implementation of the National Homelessness Action Plan.
The proposed approach emphasises Housing First. This gives people their own home as quickly as possible, with support tailored to their situation. According to the progress letter, the cabinet wants to provide municipalities and social partners with multi-year support and link the approach to the broader housebuilding challenge.
An important problem is that homelessness is not measured in the same way everywhere. More and more municipalities are using the ETHOS method. It counts not only people without a place to stay, but also people forced to live with relatives or stay in unconventional places, such as a car or holiday park.
The Association of Netherlands Municipalities and the four largest cities are again calling for faster action, according to Binnenlands Bestuur. They point to the pressure on emergency accommodation and to people with complex problems who can continue to fall between healthcare, housing and criminal-justice services.
According to the letter, the cabinet does not want to place responsibility solely with municipalities that provide emergency accommodation. The letter says municipalities, housing associations and organisations in the social domain should work together regionally. The political question is therefore not only how much accommodation is available, but also how many homes, support services and prevention measures are organised on a structural basis.
No new national figure for the number of homeless people on 12 November is available. It is clear, however, that the cabinet cannot guarantee the 2030 target and that municipalities consider the situation urgent. This raises the question of which interim targets and resources will be established.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The cabinet says the goal of no homeless people by 2030 cannot be guaranteed.
- The proposed approach emphasises Housing First, prevention and regional cooperation.
- Municipalities and major cities are calling for greater urgency and more resources.
Left
Arguments The state should treat housing as a basic provision and organise social housing, prevention and support more quickly. In this approach, homelessness is primarily a housing and financial-security problem.
Values Equal access, financial security and public responsibility.
Consequences Greater investment could reduce pressure on shelters and social harm, but would require long-term public funding.
Centre
Arguments Housing First has broad support, but its implementation should be coordinated regionally with municipalities, housing associations and healthcare organisations. Clear interim targets and measurement methods are needed to adjust policy.
Values Practical feasibility, institutional cooperation and accountability.
Consequences A phased approach may be more realistic, but without additional homes it will not produce results quickly.
Right
Arguments The government should not only offer homes, but also set limits on nuisance and expect responsibility from people who refuse help. Building more homes and using existing housing more efficiently should take priority over new bureaucratic programmes.
Values Public order, personal responsibility and efficiency.
Consequences A stronger emphasis on enforcement could limit nuisance, but could push people with complex problems further out of sight.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text follows the cabinet letter and the municipalities’ response without adding new figures or unsubstantiated causes. The absence of a current national count is explicitly noted.
- confirmed The cabinet cannot guarantee that no one will be homeless in 2030. — This is stated in the progress letter. source
- confirmed ETHOS also counts hidden homelessness. — This is explained in the cabinet letter. source
- confirmed Municipalities are calling for faster action. — Binnenlands Bestuur describes the appeal by VNG, G4 and G40. source
Editor's note
There is no current national figure in the sources consulted; the rising trend and the policy response are directly supported.Sources
- Voortgang Nationaal Actieplan Dakloosheid — Tweede Kamer / Rijksoverheid
- Grote aanhoudende zorgen bij gemeenten over dakloosheid — Binnenlands Bestuur
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „dakloosheid wonen eerst”
- NOS — „dakloosheid wonen eerst”
- Het Parool — „dakloosheid wonen eerst”