The last residents of two demolition flats in the Emmer district of Emmermeer are being helped quickly to a new, temporary home. The reason for this is the wave of burglaries that plague the two complexes on Meerstraat and Nijkampenweg. Housing corporation Lefier expects to have accommodated the last tenants elsewhere next week.
Last May, Lefier announced that it would demolish two of the total of five Nicolaïflats in Emmermeer. The adjacent eight ground-level rental homes will also be demolished. There are a total of 48 apartments and another eight family homes on Haagjesweg.
The flats and houses had become dated and, moreover, poorly insulated. Alternative housing would be sought for the residents at the time. A job that was expected to take a year and a half.
According to spokesperson Gijs Bosman, the pace is good. After three-quarters of a year, barely ten homes were inhabited until last week. “Almost everyone has already found something else. It went more smoothly than expected.”
An annoying side effect was that the largely empty flats exerted an enormous attraction on burglars. “There have been many burglaries in recent weeks. Parts of the water pipe and copper were stolen, among other things.” As a result, flooding occurred and even the fire brigade had to turn out once.
“Fortunately, these are not dangerous situations, but it is annoying,” said Bosman. “That is why we have decided to accelerate the accommodation of the last tenants elsewhere. That could be another home. Or, if necessary, a replacement home, a holiday home or a hotel.”
Necessary repairs to installations or pipework no longer make sense, according to Bosman, because these are, after all, demolition flats. “Hence this decision. We no longer find the situation livable.”
Instead of the planned 18 months, moving the residents has cost slightly less than half. But this does not automatically mean that the demolition, which was initially planned for the end of 2024, will be pushed forward. “I dare not say. We have now made a quick decision because the situation demanded it.”
Lefier has yet to make an official decision about the other three Nicolaïflats in the district. A decision that may fall this or next year.