Tessa Rompas, a 33-year-old woman from Eindhoven, has been living on the streets for eight weeks, sleeping in park bushes and singing on sidewalks for food money, Omroep Brabant reported. Rompas lost her housing after her eight-year relationship ended and she could no longer pay the rent in Delft alone.
Rompas missed a mandatory annual renewal for her Eindhoven housing registration, which she had maintained for years, mistakenly believing her prior sign-up remained active without yearly re-enrollment.
Housing Loss And Registration Errors In Eindhoven
Rompas moved to Delft to live with her partner, where they stayed together for eight years before their relationship ended. Unable to cover the rent independently, she briefly stayed with a friend in Maassluis before traveling to Eindhoven. Upon arrival, municipal authorities informed her she could not access local emergency housing because she lacked an active municipal registration in the city.
“I wanted very much to return to Eindhoven,” Rompas told Omroep Brabant. “Because I had registered years ago, I thought I would stand a chance. I did not know I had to keep my registration active. That is just very stupid of me. I made a stupid mistake.”
Daily Survival In City Parks And Shelters
Rompas currently sleeps hidden in a park in central Eindhoven, utilizing a sheltersuit provided by a local homeless outreach organization—a specialized warm coat that doubles as a sleeping bag. Her previous tent was stolen, leaving her exposed to harsh weather conditions.
“It is hard and raw,” Rompas said. “I sleep alone in the bushes in a park. It has happened to me three times that I had to sleep in the rain, which is very rotten.”
She manages daily necessities using a bucket and spends her daytime hours searching containers for usable items or visiting the local library and drop-in centers. Her footwear is worn, leaving her feet covered in small wounds and slowing her mobility.
Struggling with depression and suicidal ideation since childhood, Rompas experienced her first institutional admission at age 13 and has been admitted more than ten times throughout her life. She estimates she has spent five total years living on the street, driven in part by a severe past addiction involving eight different types of drugs, alcohol, and cannabis.
“I used to be very drug-addicted, but you see so many people destroyed by it, I don’t want that anymore,” she said, noting she recently stopped using substances and embraced faith. “I have Jesus Christ now as a savior. Love is very healing. I don’t need the drugs anymore.”
Rompas plans winter stay with a friend
Rompas remains hopeful about escaping homelessness and plans to stay with a friend once colder winter weather sets in. She interacts regularly with other unhoused individuals in the city center, noting that foreign nationals facing language barriers often experience deeper struggles due to unfamiliarity with local rights.
“I feel strong enough to get out of the situation,” Rompas said. “But there are plenty of people I meet who have given up hope on a normal life.”
Tessa Rompas faces housing denials and street survival
Why was Tessa Rompas denied emergency housing in Eindhoven?
Rompas was denied access to municipal housing services in Eindhoven because she was not actively registered as a resident in the municipality when she arrived from Maassluis.
How does Rompas sustain herself while living outdoors?
She sings on the street to earn money for food and drinks, searches public containers for usable items, and relies on local drop-in centers, churches, and passerby donations.
What is a sheltersuit, and how did she acquire one?
A sheltersuit is a dual-purpose warm coat and sleeping bag designed for unhoused individuals. Rompas received hers from a local organization dedicated to supporting homeless people in the area.
Where does she plan to stay during the winter months?
Rompas has arranged to stay with a friend once colder weather arrives, providing temporary indoor shelter for the winter season.
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