Dozens of angry tenants have occupied the headquarters of the Mooiland housing association in Grave since half past four on Friday afternoon. They are angry about the proposed demolition of 74 homes in Berghem (municipality of Oss).
One of the tenants’ demands was to speak to management on Friday. That has now happened: the director of the corporation spoke to the tenants around five o’clock in the afternoon.
Rolled out mats
However, the tenants say they have no intention of going: the mats and sleeping bags have already been rolled out. They hold up signs that say ‘We are staying here’. The tenants are especially angry because the decision came out of the blue for them.
“On April 22, the residents heard during a meeting of the corporation that the district had to be flattened,” said SP municipal councilor Leroy Vossenberg on Friday afternoon in a crowded room in the building.
“It was just an announcement. Consultation about this was not possible. The neighborhood has been full of banners ever since. It has to end at some point. You don’t demolish houses at a time of housing shortage.”
New construction
SP leader Lilian Marijnissen, also from Oss, is present at the action. “These people have been campaigning against the demolition of their neighborhood for a long time. Many grew up here and have lived here for years,” she said.
“The corporation wants to build a new neighborhood over their familiar neighborhood. We now see across the country that people’s houses are being unnecessarily demolished to build flats, for example, while the rich neighborhoods are spared. You can only solve a housing crisis together with people and not on people’s backs.”
A spokeswoman for Mooiland could not immediately respond on Friday afternoon.
2023-10-27 14:59:34
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