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Protest

Woonactie – Delft

The Housing Protests reached Delft. New city, same problems. Jeroens story was one that could happen to anybody. His parents divorced, he and his mother couldn’t pay the rent of their new home, got evicted, he went to live with his dad and tried very hard to find something for himself and his girlfriend. It could be worse. For a trans person a housing problem is just another big hurdle to overcome in the mix of challenges you already have to deal with. A storyline for a bestseller? No, Hannah was so brave to share her emotional housing story. If she speaks at a protest or other event… go listen.

Jeanette Chedda, representing Feminists Against Ableism, explained how hard it is to find a place of your own when you are disabled. The waiting lists for a house are endless and only a few houses are suitable from the build. Since 2012 accessibility is laid down in the Buildingcode. Still not every new build follows this regulation. Nina had the perfect solution for her housing problem. She didn’t have rich parents nor a job that made her a fortune each month. Her husband did! When you got lucky don’t stop there. Teach your friends and neighbours how to reduce the rent.

Delft, like Groningen, Maastricht and Utrecht is a city a university. Universities like to have a lot of student$ and welcome them from all around the globe. As Precious explained the technical university of Delft takes on 2000 new students each year. For the first year they have a roof over their head, but.. in the second year you have to find something off campus and the third year there are other possibilities. Where do you go in year two?

Zeno Winkels, the director of the Woonbond, stressed how important it is to organize and protest especially with the elections for the local governments coming up. Cock represented WijWeigerenDeHuurverhoging. Keep your cost of living under control by not paying the increase of the rent. It is a simple procedure and if the landlord doesn’t stick to the rules, cause they are not aware of the actions they have to take,… you safe money!

People learn through listening to stories and songs. What worked for thousands of years, still works. Your Local Pirates shared their instruction song about a crowbar and a hammer to teach the next generation of squatters to open the door of their new home.

The city tour took us along a giant building site which will not be for affordable housing. The Student Hotel is a solution to have a roof over your head. You can only stay there during the study year and you have to leave in the summer months to make place for tourists. How useful is that?

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