9 th European Research Conference Homelessness in Times of Crisis Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014 Homelessness and policy responses in times of crisis: the Dutch case Mathijs Tuynman, Trimbos Institute
Dec 05, 2014
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Homelessness and policy
responses in times of crisis:
the Dutch case
Mathijs Tuynman,
Trimbos Institute
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Governance & monitoring Central government:
€
system responsibility
Local government:
Primary responsibility
Policy freedom
43 central
municipalities
National Strategy
Plan
Policy monitoring
(Trimbos-institute)
Social Relief and addiction policy 2013 Catchment areas of central municipalities
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Effects of crisis impede policy
goal attainment Crisis effects: in the
Netherlands,
1. Financial cuts by
national and local
governments
2. Poverty increased
3. Housing market
imploded
Municipalities: ‘which factors
impede attainment of your policy
goals?’
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
failing collaboration
shortage in housing
influx (new homeless,extramuralization)
financial cuts
% of central municipalities
Top 3: financial cuts, new/ rising nr of homeless, shortage in housing
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
1. Government financial cuts 1) National grants
to municipalities for
Social Relief,
Public Mental
Health, Addiction
policy:
2011: € 307 mln
2014: € 300 mln
-3%
85
90
95
100
105
110
2011 2012 2013 2014
Ind
ex 2
01
1=1
00
Budget cuts are not evenly distributed nationally
NL Other 39 'Big 4'
2) Not only on social relief:
- Health care (esp. mental,
residential care)
- Social benefits
- Taxes (esp. mortgage
subsidies, housing allowances)
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
1. Cuts: threats & opportunities
Threats
Less adequate support
and housing fitting to
clients’ needs and
possibilities
Less collaboration /
increased competition
Too high expectations of
clients’self-sufficiency
Opportunities
Less hospitalization and
More orientation on
strengths and recovery
- Outpatient care
- Prevention (district teams)
- Housing First
- (Labor) Rehabilitation
- Consumer-Run initiatives
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
2. Increase of poverty
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013*
x 1
00
0
Increase in social benefits since 2008
unemployment (WW) welfare (bijstand)
Restrictions access to:
unemployment benefits
(young; 1 year)
welfare benefits
(household treshold)
Housing rents
increased
‘Landlord charge’
Less buyers, more
tenants
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
2. Poverty increase and home
evictions After 2011, poorer
households’ buffers are
empty
Convenants municipality
& housing corporations:
Agreement with tenants
on repayment scheme
Corporation notifies care
network
Suspension of execution
of verdict on condition of
cooperation
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
More verdicts, equal evictions
verdicts evictions
88% of home evictions: rent arrears
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
2. Poverty increase and
homelessness Methodological
limitations
‘New homeless’
Poverty, no addiction/
psychic problems
no access to
shelter, no
registration
Homeless families
Numbers
Inadequate support
and facilities
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
2009 2010 2011 2012
Ind
ex: t
0=1
00
Is the number of homeless persons rising or falling?
CBS G39 Clients
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
3. Housing market imploded
Impedes outflow from
social relief facilities to
self-sufficient living:
Stagnating throughflow
in ‘normal’ housing
market less vacant
houses in cheapest
sector
Social housing
corporations have less
financial buffers and are
less cooperative
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2006* 2007* 2008* 2009* 2010* 2011 2012** 2013*
bill
ion
€
Collapse of housing market
GNP real estate/ property transactions (lease, trade)
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Summary Economic crisis had mostly negative
effects on homeless
Effects were mediated through both
national and local policies
- +/- +
• ‘New
homeless’
• Outflow
• House
evictions
• Homeless
persons ?
• Focus on
strengths and
reintegration
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Near future of NL policy (2015+) Health care is reformed
Long-term care is restricted
Mental health care is restricted
Municipalities more responsibilities
Sheltered & supported housing, day care
Participation (sheltered labor, obligation to participate)
Youth care
9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Discussion 1. There is no real focus shift on strengths
and reintegration
2. Transfer of responsibilities to local
government is risky
3. Primary focus of homelessness policy
should be on housing and poverty, not on
care
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