Over 20,000 homeless people counted in Amsterdam and The Hague

Over 20,000 people don’t have a home in the Amsterdam and The Hague regions, according to the new ETHOS survey conducted by the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and Kansfonds. They report that over 1 percent of the population in Amsterdam and The Hague lacks adequate housing. Compared to other municipalities, many of them live on the streets, and women are disproportionately represented.

This is the third time that the ETHOS survey counted homeless people in dozens of municipalities. This time, the count took place in the regions of Amsterdam-Amstelland, The Hague, Noordkop, Eindhoven, IJssel-Vecht, Maastricht-Heuvelland, Maassluis-Vlaardingen-Schiedam, Valleiregio, and Zaanstreek. A total of 28,721 homeless people were counted. This includes almost 25,000 adults and approximately 4,000 children.

The third round of counts confirms the picture that emerged from the previous ETHOS counts, namely that the group of homeless people is very diverse,” said researcher Annabel Scheepers of Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. “Homelessness affects both adult men and women, as well as teenagers and children. Most adults do not, as is often thought, live on the streets, but with family or friends (31 percent) or in non-conventional living spaces such as a car, shed, or mobile home (18 percent). The count also highlights this hidden homelessness.”

“We are shocked by the results of the ETHOS count, but not surprised,” said alderman Rutger Groot Wassink of Amsterdam. Along with his colleague from The Hague, Mariëlle Vavier, he urged the Cabinet to work on a “distribution law for the shelter of homeless families.” According to The Hague and Amsterdam, the large cities shelter many families who have no ties to the municipalities.

The Salvation Army pointed out that the figures are considerably higher than the official count by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and states that the Netherlands is in a crisis. The results come as no surprise to the aid organization either. “We have regularly reported what we see: overcrowded social shelters, no opportunities for career advancement, many people on the street, and, due to a shortage of suitable housing, fewer prospects of recovery for homeless people,” said chairman Harm Slomp.

ETHOS stands for European Typology of Homelessness and Housing Exclusion. 645 'counting organizations' participated, including municipal services, social shelters, general practitioners, and housing associations.