News from Amsterdam


To the front page

11/1 Jurists want to stay in Oudemanhuispoort

8/2 Mayor’s portrait

8/2 Websites for social cohesion

7/2 Spreading tourism proceeds with difficulty

7/2 GroenLinks on districts: Be a man

6/2 Zuideramstel opens new office on Sabbath

5/2 The truth about integration

4/2 Wilders has little support on Amsterdam

3/2 Elite involved in neighbourhood

2/2 Johnnie Walker avoids taxes in Amsterdam

1/2 Rotterdam to tinker with district councils as well

31/1 Wooden rowing boats to disappear from Amstel

31/1 ZeeburgTV launched

27/1 Privacy activists to mess up loyalty card system

27/1 A few were still coughing, but that was an act

27/1 Chrisis in de Baarsjes

26/1 Youth have positive view of districts

24/1 Action groups call for Carmel and Jaffa boycott

24/1 PvdA members dismiss plan for districts

23/1 KLM takes on crisis with new uniform

23/1 District office not squatted

21/1 Merge districts

20/1 Closing squat bar Vrankrijk not necessary

20/1 Cleaners welcome new Schiphol director

18/1 Palestine at the Jewish Historical Museum

18/1 What is the right size for a district?

17/1 PvdA Oost against fewer districts

16/1 Committee: 7 districts by 2010

15/1 Soldiers may attend Afghanistan debate after all

15/1 Bait bike leads to arrest

14/1 Youth for Christ to republish vacancies

13/1 Paintings of the Zuidas

13/1 New Youth for Christ contoversy

11/1 Social cohesion initiative raises eyebrows

10/1 Fewer districts in 2010

10/1 Zuidas: People feel that we are losers

9/1 Fun on the ice - but not for all

9/1 Supermarket coupon fraud thwarted

9/1 I Amsterdam must remain exclusive

8/1 Use term Apartheid in every discussion

8/1 No city kiosk in Amsterdam yet

7/1 Snow

7/1 Fatima Elatik to run Zeeburg

7/1 Municipal managers to return to shop floor

4/1 Police: take photo of strange people

3/1 Gaza protest criticises politicians

1/1 Thousands to protest against attacks on Gaza

1/1 Mustapha Laboui leaves district council

 

2008 Archive

2007 Archive

2006 Archive

2005 Archive

 

 

 

 

Ymere pushes demolition plans through

Text/photo: Alex van Veen

3 August 2007 - Housing Corporation Ymere is ignoring the Oost District Council’s call to postpone the demolition and construction plans for the Derde Oosterparkstraat and the Vrolikstraat. Residents intend to ask councillor Germaine Princen, responsible for housing, in what ways she might still act on the council’s motion.

On 2 July, a large majority of the district council called on Ymere to resume talks with residents. The motion, introduced by coalition parties GroenLinks and Meerbelangen, followed persistent protests. Residents are indignant about Ymere only talking to residents after the decisions had been taken.

Renters who refused to leave decided to resist and are supported by squatters and anti-squat guards. Through its 2 July motion, the district council indicated that Ymere should talk with the residents and suspend its plans.

Rather than respecting the motion, Ymere took the offensive by submitting a demolition request for the houses on 5 July. This was followed by a letter on 12 July, sent to councillor Germaine Princen (PvdA,) stating explicitly that it refuses to alter or suspend its plans.

On 17 July, residents were told that a notice to leave was in the mail. “As happens more often, the people who had protested most fiercely were offered a cheaper house and a return guarantee”, residents say. But they are not just concerned about their own houses. They do not want the neighbourhood’s social cohesion to disappear and find it a waste to demolish beautiful and affordable houses.

In collaboration with experts, residents want to develop plans for a renewal operation that benefits the neighbourhood and not just Ymere’s budget. “As a social entrepreneur, Ymere should appreciate residents’ involvement with each other and the neighbourhood”, they say. “In its publications, the housing corporation claims it wants to promote residents’ participation, social cohesion and the conservation of characteristic buildings, but in practice, the neighbourhood is being steamrollered”.

Residents call on Ymere once more to jointly investigate how the 19th century facades and the social rent houses can be salvaged as much as possible. In addition, they call on politicians to take their own motion seriously and to make it clear that privatised housing corporations ought not to be allowed to escape all democratic control. Residents will deliver this message to councillor Princen on 6 August.

On Saturday 4 August at 4 pm, residents will celebrate the opening of community centre ’t Blijvertje in the squatted apartment at Derde Oosterparkstraat 64h. A website (in Dutch) will keep you informed about new developments.

This article will also appear at the Ravage website

 

Want to receive News from Amsterdam? Click here


This is the old website. Please find new content here