Three squatters lived in a property at Julianastraat 103 for a month, with help from a larger group of supporters. Photo Wageningen photo album/ Jan Elsenaar Over a month ago, three students took up residence in an abandoned rental home on the Julianstraat. On Monday, the judge ordered them to vacate the premises and leave.
A group of students decided to squat a house on the Julianastraat. The owner of the property, the Woningstichting, filed a report with the police. The judge ruled last Monday, saying the squatters must leave as there are concrete plans for the renovation of the property.
User agreement
The squatters proposed a user agreement with De Woningstichting. They stated that they would vacate the property two weeks before the start of the actual renovations. Additionally, the squatters were willing to pay rent, but the housing corporation refused to discuss the issue.
The squatted house on Julianastraat 103 is to serve as a model house, The Woningstichting writes. Julianastraat 89 is currently in use for this purpose. The swap means that this house will become available for rent, and it will ‘be made ready for tenants’. The renovations on number 103 will take off this week.
Unbridgeable gap
‘This truly is a missed opportunity for the municipality and the Woningstichting’, says Bries Heijnen, chair of the Julianastraat resident committee. ‘This squatter protest is a great way to close the unbridgeable gap between students and Wageningen citizens.’
‘Although many residents were initially not positive about the squatters, their open attitude has changed completely over the past few weeks,’ Heijnen says.
