News item | 01-12-2022 | 2:00 PM
Every person has the right to a safe and affordable place to live. That is why, on Monday 5 December, State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen (VWS), together with Ministers Schouten (Poverty Policy) and De Jonge (Public Housing), will present the National Homelessness Action Plan: First a Home. € 65 million has been earmarked for the plan, on top of the regular € 385 million that municipalities receive for social relief. The plan must ensure that homelessness is ended by 2030, to which the Netherlands has committed itself by signing the Lisbon Declaration.
State Secretary Van Ooijen: “Our country has too many homeless people. These people have no home to fall back on as a base. While, just like everyone else, they need their own place where they can feel at home. Many of these young people and adults have told me about their experiences. The stories about what they went through touch me. For example, about being forced to leave your home due to debts or the enormous threshold you can experience to knock for help. The stories are all unique, but what these people have in common is the need to be seen and heard sooner. In addition, prevention is very important, so that people do not become homeless in the first place and can keep their own home. That is why it is time for a new approach, from a fundamentally different view of what is needed.”
Rigorous choices
Research has shown that reducing homelessness is most successful when rigorous choices are made in thinking about homelessness. That is why six guiding principles have been formulated for this plan, based on the philosophy of the scientifically based method Housing First and advice such as that of the Council for Public Health and Society (RVS) and the Dannenberg Committee. The guiding principles are necessary as a compass to test the policy in the coming years.
Six lines of action
Six substantive lines of action have been drawn up for the Homelessness Action Plan 2023-2030. They have been drawn up on the basis of the guiding principles and the input of the many partners and stakeholders. The six lines of action are:
- Strengthening social security: safeguarding the minimum subsistence level;
- Prevention: Preventing homelessness is always best;
- Housing First: everyone has their own place to live with customized support;
- Integral work in the implementation: direction, speed and human dimension;
- No policy without experiential knowledge: policy is made, tested and implemented with people with experiential knowledge;
- Inclusive approach: focusing on young people, LGBTIQ+ and homeless EU citizens .
Broad cooperation
In recent months, all parties from the field and people with experience have worked hard on the development of the action plan. This has resulted in an integrated approach and requires intensive cooperation between the government, VNG, municipalities, housing associations, healthcare providers, client organisations, scientists, experts by experience, interest groups, citizens and other relevant local and national (public and private) parties. All these parties are desperately needed to achieve the ambitions and structurally reduce homelessness.