Homeless individuals should have easier access to priority housing, say dozens of organizations united under the coalition Dakloosheid Voorbij! (Beyond Homelessness). On Tuesday, the group

will present its manifesto to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, urging legislative changes to improve housing access.

The call is backed by a wide range of supporters, including housing corporations, the mental health advocacy group MIND, and the National Student Union (LSVb).

Currently, people can receive an "urgency declaration" to fast-track access to social housing, but the requirements are highly restrictive. Under a proposed bill, only a limited subset of homeless individuals—such as those staying in shelters or recently discharged from mental health institutions—would qualify.

Dakloosheid Voorbij! argues this approach leaves too many people out. Their manifesto calls for expanding the criteria to include youth who couch-surf, individuals forced to stay with friends or family without being allowed to register at that address, and those sleeping in cars or caravans.

“Change the law to recognize these groups as urgent housing seekers,” the manifesto urges.

Nil Şendil, a spokesperson for the coalition, criticized the current approach, stating that it effectively forces people’s situations to worsen before they can get help. “Many unhoused people can already prove they have nowhere to live simply because they aren’t registered at any address,” Şendil said.

The National Action Plan for Homelessness has set an ambitious goal: to ensure that no one in the Netherlands is homeless by 2030. Advocates say meaningful policy changes, like expanding housing priority, are essential to making that goal a reality.