Netherlands
Edwin Cornelisse
Algemeen Dagblad
There are some people you just can’t live with, said Edwin Cornelisse in the Amsterdam Algemeen Dagblad. In fact, you can’t even live near them. To house these “anti-social” types—people whose neighbors have frequently complained about loud, messy, drunken, or simply unpleasant behavior—the Dutch government is building special communities on the outskirts of towns. The anti-social inhabitants will be supervised 24 hours a day. Anyone who demonstrates that he or she can live responsibly and be respectful of the community will eventually be allowed to return home. Those who don’t make progress will remain under supervision. It may sound harsh, but the tactic has a proven track record. Nearby Denmark pioneered these “alternative communities,” known in Danish as “strange houses,” where one can live “free of the ordinary rules.” Plenty of people who are unwilling to put up with noise ordinances or zoning regulations actually move there voluntarily. Some people just don’t want to fit in. Why should we force them?
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