A growing, but invisible group: people with income, but without a home

Municipalities consider economically homeless people to be self-reliant because of their income and the lack of addiction and psychiatry, which means that they are not allowed to use homeless facilities. “The self-reliance that the municipality assumes is no longer the case with the people who knock on our door,” says Robin Trip of De Regenbooggroep. “People who become homeless are temporarily less self-reliant.”

from before research this is also apparent from Platform31. According to the researchers, the current homeless policy of municipalities focuses purely on people with a direct need for care, while many economically homeless can still live on their own network for a while. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they are self-reliant.

In addition, a lot of intensive guidance is needed to arrange a living space. In recent years, the Regenbooggroep has therefore started to focus more on the economically homeless. Trip: “Preventing long-term homelessness is very important. If someone really ends up on the street, the demand for care is many times greater.”

Hotel rooms

According to Karin Peters of WUR, it is necessary for people to realize that this can happen to anyone: “After a divorce, for example, it is currently very difficult to find a home. If we remove that shame, people are more likely to seek help. That makes a difference. “

The Wageningen researchers now conclude that the best solution is more (temporary) accommodation. During lockdowns, for example, empty hotel rooms were used to accommodate homeless people. “That has done so much good. Turn that into ongoing collaborations,” says Peters. “If one percent of all hotel rooms in Amsterdam are used for temporary accommodation, a large part of the problem would be solved.”

The Rainbow Group has also kept such an agreement with six hotels after the lockdowns, and according to the organization that works excellently.

Simone Kukenheim (D66), alderman for care in Amsterdam: “Now that tourism is picking up again, it is difficult to use hotels. We therefore call on the market to think along creatively. temporarily.”

Passantenpensions

‘Housing first‘ is also the credo of the homeless organization HVO-Querido. With their guest houses, people with an acute housing problem can stay overnight in a single room for 15 euros per night.

Temporary shelter in such a guest house for passers-by solves some of the unrest experienced by homeless people. It reduces the daily stress of where their belongings are and where they will sleep that night.

But there are also drawbacks. Since there is no stove or refrigerator, they have to leave the house for their food. Prepared meals and take away food is a lot more expensive than cooking. Money stress is therefore usually not reduced.

These kinds of temporary solutions help, says Barbra Velthuizen, director of care at HVO-Querido, “But the real problem is that there are too few living spaces. The flow is blocked, and it is currently the most difficult for homeless people to find a home. find.”

A small housing problem can eventually lead to huge healthcare problems, says Velthuizen. “That is not only annoying for those who are affected, but also costs society a lot of money. If we want to help the most vulnerable, then more affordable living spaces are needed.”

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