Mayors warn against placing mentally disturbed individuals in residential neighborhoods
Dutch mayors are warning that the national approach to housing mentally disturbed individuals in residential neighborhoods has failed, calling for urgent changes to protect public safety and improve care. Apeldoorn Mayor Ton Heerts, speaking on behalf of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), said part of this population belongs in care institutions—not in neighborhoods or jails.
“The idealists believe people have a right to return to their neighborhoods after care,” Heerts told AD. “But I see clearly that this has failed.” He argued that some individuals require institutional or even involuntary care and that continued reliance on community-based treatment is undermining public safety. “We’re struggling with this as municipalities, and that is simply unacceptable.”
In 2024, Dutch police recorded nearly 150,000 incidents involving individuals with disturbed behavior, up from almost 142,000 in 2023—a 6 percent increase. “Police involvement in these cases is far too high,” Heerts added. “I increasingly see people turning to drugs and knives. That has to stop.”
According to Heerts, the national government must take greater control over referrals to mental health institutions. “Right now, much of the responsibility falls to municipalities,” he told AD. “There are so many organizations involved with one person. We always fix the problem after the fact. We have to find a better system.”
The VNG has formally asked the national government to provide more resources so municipalities can intervene more effectively in such cases. The association says current laws and facilities are inadequate for people with severe issues who do not qualify for mandatory care. Data sharing between institutions is also hampered by privacy regulations, and structural funding from the central government is lacking, according to the VNG.
“This is truly one of the biggest nationwide problems,” Heerts said. “We’re all struggling with it. We’re putting too much emphasis on outpatient support, and the individual’s freedom is now coming at the expense of the livability of entire neighborhoods.”
Heerts believes some individuals should never return to society. “We need to take serious steps now. I’m not against reintegration, but there are people who simply cannot handle the freedom of living in neighborhoods—they cause too much disruption.”
“We want to highlight this to both the current and incoming governments,” he told AD. “Something has to change. The key is choosing to limit individual freedom in favor of neighborhood livability. That includes placement in ‘skaeve huse’—special housing for people who cause disturbances—or even in closed institutions.”
In late May, the Dutch cabinet pledged to develop a national plan to address the rising number of people with confused behavior. Outgoing Minister Judith Uitermark is coordinating the initiative.
