In Eindhoven, homeless migrant workers can soon be sheltered in a tent. This will be located next to the existing winter shelter for the homeless in Meerhoven. This is a national trial, in which – in addition to Eindhoven – Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Venlo also participate.
The city council has informed the municipal council of this. Local residents in Meerveldhoven were informed by letter on Monday. The target group is the mostly Eastern European labour migrants, who are often immediately homeless when they lose their job. The ‘short-term 24-hour shelter’ is intended to give these people a few weeks of rest, so that they can look for other work or housing.
“We believe it is important to offer EU citizens in the Netherlands a dignified existence”, the city council writes. ‘We want to help people who are not doing so well moving forward towards a perspective’. The assessment is that the urgency of the pilot is clear. ‘Given the nuisance experienced by these EU citizens in the city’.
Peace
The migrant workers who are eligible must be ‘motivated’. ‘They must focus on a future perspective’. If necessary, the care can be extended by a maximum of three weeks. The pilot is only for those who (are allowed to) use the winter emergency shelter in Meerhoven. It’s one or the other. The group of homeless EU citizens is therefore not increasing.
Initially, it was examined whether the pilot could take place in the same pavilion as the emergency shelter. The conclusion, however, is that it is better for the approximately ten to fifteen participants in the pilot to house them separately. “This offers more peace and quiet and more opportunities for activation during the day”, the city government told the city council.
Cost
The pilot will cost the Municipality of Eindhoven approximately €1.200,000. This amount will be used for incidental subsidies to the Leger des Heils (salvation army), Stichting Barka (Barka foundation) and the costs of building and operating the pavilion. ‘In the long term it must become clear whether the presence of short-term shelter will lead to a reduction in the number of places available in winter emergency shelter’.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
