In the flats on Noordendijk in Dordrecht's Vogelbuurt, housing association Woonbron is currently trying to evict a group of tenants with a temporary lease at the beginning of March and exchange it for another group of temporary residents. The residents and the BPW are now taking action to prevent people from becoming homeless. The flats are rented out temporarily on the basis of the Vacancy Act, but will only be demolished after October. There is therefore no need to exchange residents for each other and thus make them homeless. We call on Woonbron to stop this useless musical chairs with people immediately.
Solidarity campaign at Woonbron
Baerleplantsoen 26, Dordrecht
Friday 25 February
2:00 p.m.
The inhabitants
pim lives since last year in the Apartments from Woonbron aan de Noordendijk.
"Politics is increasingly creating too expensive and insecure forms of housing where the right to housing is no longer a guarantee. The government and landlords should be legally obliged to offer an alternative for the vulnerable groups who are now forced to rent temporarily. Too expensive or temporary living is not a solution to my problem. I feel rushed and want housing security."
Pim, Flex tenant
Resident Sonja has lived in the flat for 3 years and has become attached to her home and her neighbors.
"Because of this situation, I am in deep stress, I sleep badly and my emotions are constantly high. I have been registered for a social rental home for 9 years but still cannot find anything suitable. The system is stuck. Now I am forced to live temporarily and I could be evicted at any moment."
Sonja, Flex tenant
"We have been working for months, but we are being held back by the attitude of the municipality and Woonbron, they are not cooperating at all on a solution, and if it does not come, I will be on the street. I have no family in the Netherlands to go back to. fall and find an affordable home is not possible."
Karolina, Flex tenant
Housing insecurity is political mismanagement
Situations where temporary tenants be exchanged for each other have occurred more often in Dordrecht. A few years ago could the BPW this together with the residents prevent when housing corporation Trivire did this† The flexibilization of housing is advancing more and more and is increasingly creating these kinds of disenfranchised situations. While housing is a fundamental right, temporary forms of housing result in a kind musical chairs for the most vulnerable groups in our society. One group out and homeless, the other group temporarily in† Recently, the residents of the Noordendijk already raised the alarm with the municipality about this. Alderman Stam previously indicated that he would talk to the corporation again. “Our message is that Woonbron must take good care of its tenants. Maybe they can mean something or help you find it. These people should not be on the street.”, he then stated in the AD. To date, the Woonbron has not responded to this.
Stop evictions!
The BPW does not accept that through flex landlords Homeflex, Intervest and Salvation Army residents are exchanged for other home seekers with disenfranchised contracts. It's a shame that these companies help make these evictions possible. Despite outsourcing, Woonbron 100% remains responsible for this state of affairs. Woonbron says that the legal frameworks are simply fixed and that evictions must therefore be made. This is sheer nonsense, according to the BPW. If the maximum duration of the Vacancy Act of 7 years is exceeded, a corporation can be expected to respect the tenancy rights of sitting residents, instead of evicting without any urgent interest. Woonbron wants to prevent people from building up rent protection and would rather put them out on the street. This is at odds with the core task of a housing association.
When residents' rights of residence are harmed and they are completely trapped by landlords such as Woonbron and hired flex landlords, then the BPW springs into action.
Together with the residents of the Vogelbuurt, the BPW demands:
1. Stop exchanging groups of temporary residents for each other. Respect housing rights.
2. Provide housing security for everyone and prevent homelessness.
Support residents?
Come to the solidarity action on Friday 25 February at 14:00 at Woonbron, from Baerleplantsoen 26 in Dordrecht. Show that you do not agree with vulnerable residents being made homeless unnecessarily. Share this article and sign up for it Facebook event† Are you also a resident of the Noordendijk flats who is currently at risk of becoming homeless due to contract termination? Then contact us via the inquiry form on our site. Would you like to know more about the situation, or would you like to get in touch with the residents? Please contact us via the contact form.