I think it's just that you're not allowed to be sleeping outside. There are still about 200 actively homeless people (as in, sleeping outside) in Amsterdam, whi

I think it's just that you're not allowed to be sleeping outside. There are still about 200 actively homeless people (as in, sleeping outside) in Amsterdam, which isn't much for a city of around 1 million people. There are shelters, and there's the social net to fall in, in case you cannot afford to live or get medical help. If you get cancer it won't mean you'll have so many bills you'll have to live outside. If you have disability, mental or otherwise, it doesn't mean you'll have to rely on the generosity of your family to be able to survive. And if you do sleep outside the police will likely make you not is my understanding.