# Loosdrecht town hall to be restored by 31 October

> The first asylum seekers have left the emergency shelter in Loosdrecht's half-empty town hall, and the building is due to be restored by 31 October, the municipality has told residents.

Migration · published 2026-10-21 22:29 · https://nlnow.nl/a/loosdrecht-town-hall-asylum-shelter-closes-as-first-leave/

The first asylum seekers have left the emergency shelter in the half-empty town hall of Loosdrecht, according to a letter the municipality sent to residents this week. The shelter housed 70 people. Mayor Mark Verheijen writes that they will leave gradually for reception locations outside the municipality.

The letter says the shelter will be cleared in the coming period and the building returned to its original state on 31 October.

Verheijen acknowledges that opening the shelter asked a lot of residents. "We realise this has brought questions, worries or nuisance," he writes. "At the same time, many residents of our municipality were involved and helpful."

The mayor is inviting residents to a cup of coffee on 2 November "to thank you for your understanding and patience over the past months".

Defend Loosdrecht, the residents' movement under which most opponents of the shelter united, welcomed the news on Facebook: "Hooray, the end is in sight."

From 1 January the town hall will get a new use as education housing (onderwijshuisvesting), the municipality says.

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