Sunday, 22-09-19 we successfully squatted the building at Amstel 45. The owner of this building is the biggest real-estate owner of Amsterdam and an speculator. There have been buildings owned by Veldhuijzen squatted before, Amstelkade 20 (2016), Admiraal de Ruijterweg 76 (2008). Johannes Cornelis Martinus Veldhuijzen is the owner of 512 properties in Amsterdam, he has more buildings on his name than Prince Bernhard van Oranje Nassau! (see for details the Parool article mentioned below). We know the building has been empty for 2 years and currently there is a building stop, which means the owner is prohibited to work on the building any further and he also doesn’t have any plans for the building at this moment.
We are against vacancy, leaving buildings empty and left to rot, and we squat because of vacancy! During the first week of occupation, we didn’t have any contact with the owner. Wednesday the 26 of September, we received the court papers for a fast civil procedure. His story had a lot of inconsistency and no concrete plans and because of this and the new squatting law that is coming, we decided it’s a good time to fight back! We went to court on the 1st of October and now we are waiting for the verdict, the 15th of October. The owner himself did not show up in court and he still has shown no willingness to communicate with us in any way. Will keep you guys updated!
https://www.parool.nl/nieuws/dit-zijn-de-grootste-spelers-op-de-amsterdamse-vastgoedmarkt~b5fea4c9/
https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/174940/wethouder-ivens-pleit-voor-woonplicht-in-strijd-tegen-vastgoedmagnaten
The neighbourhood letter:
Dear neighbourhood,
Today, 22-09-2019, we have squatted the building at Amstel 45. The building has been empty for more than two years. The owner of this building is Johannes Cornelis Martinus Veldhuijzen, he is the biggest real estate owner of Amsterdam at this moment, with 512 buildings in his name. He is also a well known speculator, he is mentioned in an article about the bad influence real estate magnates have on the current housing crisis. (see links below).
The last years the city is changing rapidly, we see gentrification happening in every corner of the city (upgrade of a living area where real estate prices are rising and the lower classes are pushed out). Social housing being demolished, social centers being shut down so there is more place to build stores and houses for the higher classes.
Expulsion of the lower classes is happening all around.
The current housing situation in Amsterdam is very difficult and mainly affordable for people with higher income. There is lack of places for living, while the demand for houses is rising.
The government wants to introduce a new law against squatting, even though vacancy and real estate speculation by investors is continuously increasing. We are in the middle of a housing crisis, that is why it’s time for action!
Right to housing is a basic human right and we claim this from the big companies.
We all welcome you to pass by soon for a coffee or cup of tea.
If you have any questions about our intentions or plans, you can contact the Amstel living group at: Amstel45 [at] riseup [dot] net
Kind regards,
The Oops living group
Some squats in the Netherlands: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/NL/squated/squat
Groups (social center, collective, squat) in the Netherlands: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/NL
Events in the Netherlands: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/country/NL
