Against demolition of homes: Oss tenants reach agreement after occupying corporation office

Angry tenants reached an agreement on their apartments Friday night after an occupation of Mooiland's headquarters in Grave. The tenants had used their occupation to force a meeting with company management. They were resisting the planned demolition of 74 houses in the Berghem neighborhood in the municipality of Oss.

Dozens of tenants walked into the corporation office at 3:30 p.m. on Friday with mats and sleeping bags. They also held up signs that read: "We're here to stay," Omroep West reported. "On April 22, the residents heard during a meeting of the corporation that the district had to be flattened," SP City Councilor Leroy Vossenberg said on Friday afternoon. "It was just an announcement. Consultation about this was not possible. The neighborhood has been full of banners ever since. It has to end at some point. You don't demolish houses at a time of housing shortage."

During the occupation of the office, negotiations with the Mooiland management took place. They were joined by Oss SP chairwoman Lilian Marijnissen. She spoke afterward of a "fantastic result" for the tenants. "Now they can start to make a new plan for their house and their neighborhood. And that's how it should be, together with the people and not on the backs of the people," Marijnissen said.

It was agreed that consultations will take place in the short term, during which not only demolition will be considered, but also whether renovation of some of the houses is "conceivable," spokesmen for the tenants and the company confirmed Friday evening. This conversation will take place in the presence of an independent mediator recognized by both parties. A pause will also go into effect so that no irreversible steps can be taken until the talks are concluded.

The company spokeswoman said another meeting with tenants has already been scheduled for next week. "We had a date set," she said. "It's too bad they wanted to have the conversation as early as Friday."