BOND PRECAIRE WOONVORMEN

Stop eviction Ben H. in The Hague by Hof Wonen!

Ben (54) from The Hague threatens to be evicted from his house on February 13 by Hof Wonen (Vestia). He lived with his terminally ill twin sister, Hellen, whom he cared for 24 hours a day until she recently passed away from cancer. After the death, he hoped to be allowed to stay in the house where his parents moved to in 1986. 

Hof Wonen ignored his request for help and demanded Ben leave the house, now he is in danger of being made permanently homeless in a week. Stop this eviction and prevent homelessness! We demand a human solution. Come to the claim handover at the head office of Hof Wonen in Moerwijk on Friday 10 February at 10:00!

Requirements handover Court Housing

Loevesteinlaan 627
10/02/23

10:00am

Eviction after death

In 2021, Ben moved back to his parental home to care for his twin sister Hellen until her death on May 2, 2022. When his sister, and with it the main resident, died, he hoped to be able to stay in the house. But exactly 2 weeks after his sister's death, he received a notice from the then Vestia that they did not want to continue the lease with Ben. He is expected to terminate the lease himself on September 30 of that year. Of course Ben could not comply because otherwise he would become homeless and would have to report to the already overcrowded homeless shelter. A legal procedure follows and finally on December 21, the court pronounces an eviction judgment and Ben must leave the house within 4 weeks, otherwise he will be sentenced to death on December 1.3 be evacuated by the police and bailiff in February.

Duty of care of corporations and municipalities

What we see again in Ben's situation is that people with housing and debt problems are pushed aside by government agencies and social housing providers. Are you not into able to participate in society, do you not fit in the right box or have you not gone through the right legal steps? Then you end up on the street without help. Ben is under administration and we cannot expect anyone to initiate proper legal proceedings within 2 weeks of his sister's death. Meanwhile, the reminders, debts and legal costs are piling up. Soon he will be homeless, but Hof Wonen has maintained the 'living space distribution system'. It's about time politics and housing associations are coming to understand that making someone homeless to free up space in the 'housing distribution system' is literally carrying water to the sea and the damage to individuals and society is much greater when these people are made homeless. On the one hand, lives of people like Ben are destroyed, on the other hand, there are high social costs associated with homelessness and assistance. We also call on the municipality of The Hague and alderman Balster to take a duty of care for the residents of this city and to guarantee rehousing.

Rehousing after demolition

The houses on the Stuwstraat are old and in poor condition. There is mould, moisture and leakage, which is why the houses are part of a demolition-new construction project. Al Ben's neighbors can claim rehousing through an urgent application and a relocation allowance. Ben is excluded from these social rights, as he is not recognized by Vestia as a (co-)tenant. Hof Wonen, as the legal successor of Vestia, is a housing corporation set up to house vulnerable residents, not to put them on the street!

Ben and BPW The Hague demand from Hof Wonen and the municipality:
    1. Stop the planned eviction and prevent homelessness
    2. Offer Ben housing, just like the rest of the residents on his street
Make homelessness and housing insecurity visible! Come to the presentation of the requirements on February 10 at 10:00 am at Hof Wonen at Loevesteinlaan 627 in The Hague! Sign up for the Facebook event and share this article via social media! 
 
If Hof Wonen continues the eviction on Monday 13 February, we call on everyone to support Ben at his home and to stop the eviction. Come to the Stuwstraat on February 13 between 9:00 and 12:00 and stop this evacuation!
 
For contact with Ben or BPW The Hague, mail to denhaag@bondprecairewoonvormen.nl or call 06-50856715 for the press spokesperson.

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