Report: Amsterdam tough on young single moms

Young single moms are having a hard time finding somewhere to stay in Amsterdam. Because they have a child, they do not qualify for so-called youth housing and the waiting lists for social housing are very long. A study done by Youth Information Point Amsterdam Noord has revealed that there are about 2 thousand young mothers in the city, AT5 reports. There are many measures to help those facing social problems, but the others often fall through the cracks. "During the first 18 months after my daughter was born I lived with five different people. I am now with friends where I can stay for a while. It is very hard, especially if you are still studying. I'm doing it all alone, which makes it even harder", one young mother said to AT5. "Because I do not really have problems, I don't have debt and I'm not on drugs, I don't fall under social relief. Furthermore, you can not get into a youth home with a child. I'm a student, but I can't live in a student home because I have a daughter. I'm just refused." Neighborhood Noord finds this unacceptable and thinks that the housing corporations should do something about it. "These homes (youth homes, ed.) can simply also be made available for this group. It's not ideal, but it is better than the situation they are in now", alderman Erna Berends said. The Amsterdam Federation of Housing Associations has promised to look into whether youth housing can be made accessible to young single mothers.