For several days now, we have been occupying and living in Woestduinstraat 72 HS. Since the 25th of march we announced the occupation by means of a protest.
This social housing property has been vacant for a year awaiting sale. This action is a protest against the sale of social housing and the subsequent sell-out of the city, by housing corporations and the municipality. Lieven de Key has put this house on the market in a dilapidated state for a staggering 475,000. The house is on the ground floor and would have made a good home for seniors or those with mobility problems. But it is clear that Lieven de Key does not give a fuck about the residents of the city and cares more about gentrification and profit.
Since the 1990s, profit maximization has been the main goal of housing cooperatives. While housing cooperatives claim to build more social housing outside the center with the proceeds from sales, the overall share of social housing in Amsterdam is decreasing. Social housing associations are contributing to gentrification and original residents have to make way for people with more money. Housing is not being built for the working class and the social housing that remains is often neglected and left in a bad state.
Renting in the private sector has become unaffordable, creating a city which is only for the rich. Vulnerable and already marginalised groups are hit extra hard by housing shortages. The fight against homelessness and gentrification unites people of different generations and backgrounds. Squatting is a legitimate tactic to fight back.
We demand an immediate stop to the sale of social housing. This and all other social housing that has been put up for sale should be renovated and remain social housing. While the waiting lists are running high and and the average waiting time is over 14 years we are forced to take matters into our own hands and take this house back! Social housing is Not For Sale!
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
Indymedia https://indymedia.nl/node/53204
