ROTTERDAM, 12 February 2026 – Rotterdam and six neighbouring municipalities will take part in the ETHOS count on 12 May 2026, aiming to build a clearer picture of homelessness across the region. The municipalities say they are now looking for a wide group of partners to help identify people who are homeless or without stable housing.
The count will take place in the city of Rotterdam and in Ridderkerk, Barendrecht, Capelle aan den IJssel, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Lansingerland and Albrandswaard. The kick-off for recruiting partners took place today at the temporary library.
What the ETHOS count is aiming to do
The ETHOS count is described as a large-scale inventory of people who are homeless or without stable housing. It is organised by Hogeschool Utrecht and Kansfonds, and has already been held in other large Dutch cities.
The central questions are straightforward: how many people are homeless or without stable housing, and what do their situations look like. The municipalities say that kind of profile is needed to shape effective policy.
A wider picture than the street stereotype
Rotterdam says homelessness is often imagined as an older man sleeping rough, but earlier counts showed a far more diverse group. Examples include young people leaving youth institutions after turning 18, parents and children moving between sofas at friends’ or family members’ homes, and people who work but live out of a camper van or car out of necessity.
The municipalities also point to “hidden” homelessness, where people may have found a temporary way through the housing shortage, but still cannot move forward in life without a stable roof over their head. The aim is to make that hidden group visible as well.
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Alderman Buijt calls on regional partners
Alderman Buijt, responsible for care, older people and youth care (Zorg, Ouderen en Jeugdzorg), says the goal is to prevent people from sliding into full street homelessness before help arrives.
“We must prevent people from having to take the slide all the way down and end up on the street before help comes. To do that, we need a picture of their situation and the scale of the problem. This count will help us, and I call on all our professional partners in the region to cooperate. This process brings together different disciplines around housing, care, education and tackling poverty.” — Alderman Buijt
How the count will work and what comes next
The count takes place on 12 May 2026, with the results expected in December 2026. Different organisations will record, at that single moment, which people they know who are homeless or without stable housing, or who are at risk of becoming so quickly.
Rotterdam says it is reaching out to a broad range of organisations, including schools, housing associations, GP out-of-hours services, harbour masters, forest rangers and volunteer groups. The idea is that the wider the network, the more complete the picture will be, giving the next city administration a stronger evidence base for policy.
