Homeless people and activists have temporarily occupied a house in Berlin that has been vacant for years. The action was apparently successful: 30 homeless people should be able to find shelter there.
At the weekend, homeless people and activists temporarily occupied a house in Berlin. The property on Habersaathstrasse in the Mitte district has been vacant for years. The campaign was successful: In the future, homeless people should be able to live in the house as long as the owner tolerates this. District mayor Stephan von Dassel (Greens) has given a corresponding promise, report “Tagesspiegel” and RBB.
The prefabricated building on Habersaathstrasse is directly opposite the BND headquarters. 30 activists involved in various housing initiatives briefly occupied the house at the weekend. There were also demonstrations in front of the house. After von Dassel turned in, the building was cleared again. “We were able to agree with the owner that we can find a solution for the homeless there,” said the district mayor of the RBB.
30 homeless are allowed to stay
When and how exactly this solution will be implemented remains to be seen – further negotiations are still pending with the owner, the real estate company Arcadia Estates. Von Dassel, however, promised that 30 homeless people could move in before Christmas. In the house there are mainly apartments for singles and couples. “Only those who are really homeless can find shelter there,” von Dassel clarified.
There has been a dispute over the house in Habersaathstrasse for several years. The district wants to keep the cheap apartments, but owners Arcadia Estates prefer to demolish the building and build a complex with more expensive apartments. The case is currently with the Higher Administrative Court. After all, the landlord has now agreed that homeless people involved in the occupation may move in – as long as this does not result in new fixed tenancies. The social welfare office wants to examine the individual cases.
Activists: speak of “historic success”
Last year, homeless people and activists had already occupied eight apartments in the house. At that time the police had evacuated the property. The discussion about affordable housing has intensified again in the capital since then – among other things, since citizens voted in a referendum in favor of the expropriation of large housing groups.
The activists rate the fact that at least some homeless people are allowed to move in as a “historic success”. “The house has been rented out for ten years, it is mostly empty. Now a specific way of dealing with the house has finally been found. That could also be an idea for other districts,” said spokeswoman Valentina Hauser the “Tagesspiegel”.
Sources: /
Source From: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
