Since July the 12th, the building in the Lange Steenstraat 6 is back in use. We, a group of young and socially engaged people, have moved in.
In many places in Ghent there are empty buildings. At the same time, there is a housing crisis: high and rising rents, unaffordable housing. By using the building, we avoid the deterioration of the building and we have a roof over our heads.
We stay in the property to no longer be on the street and by taking care the building, we also take care care for others. The building will be a temporary cultural centre. We will organize activities such as: people’s kitchens, movie nights, exhibitions, open space for circus and theater…
An attempt was made to reach an agreement with the owner. But he demanded that we leave the building immediately. The owner appears to be a speculator who owns several vacant houses in the center of which even 3 in this street. She also had made an agreement with the police so that they can use the building as training facility. The latter were not so happy when they heard that it had been squatted.
This wealthy private owner has zero empathy with people like us who urgently need a place to live. People sleep on the street next to empty houses. And the speculators only get richer from it.
SQUAT THE HOUSING CRISIS!
‘t Hol van Kultuur
Lange Steenstraat 6,
9000 Ghent, Belgium
pandemisten [at] riseup [dot] net
https://squ.at/r/9jje
Some squats in Belgium https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/BE/squated/squat
Groups (social center, collective, squat) in Belgium https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/BE
Events in Belgium https://radar.squat.net/en/events/country/BE
