Shelter for economically homeless
What may seem super old-fashioned - living with a hospita - turns out to be a housing breakthrough in 2015. In that year, De Regenboog Groep launched Onder de Pannen. The project is a response to the growing group of new homeless people, the so-called "economically homeless. These people have ended up on the street due to a life-changing event, such as divorce or bankruptcy, but cannot go to social services. They can often stay with acquaintances for a while. But if the housing problem lasts too long, drift lurks. People sleep in cars, sometimes in tents. Through Onder de Pannen, an economically homeless person can legally rent a room from another Amsterdam resident.
National rollout after tricky start
It sounds simple, but the realization of Onder de Pannen has taken quite some doing. Various parties have to review their policies. Initially, the housing corporations do not cooperate because subletting is prohibited. The municipality also sees obstacles on the road: won't tenant and landlord soon be doormats? What about benefits, rent and healthcare payments? De Regenboog Groep takes a long breath and eventually manages to get everyone on board. Onder de Pannen is such a success that it is being rolled out nationwide. It introduces the Netherlands to a new way of thinking about housing.
.
Under the Pans: from housing shortage to roommate