Pilot area
Meerenstein Noord is not very well known. It is a deprived area with a lot of poverty. Six years ago the neighborhood was still ravaged by the so-called Pilot ganga group of teenagers who randomly assaulted passersby.
Yet Leida wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. It’s her home. The place where she moved from Bergen for love and where she has lived since 1982. That is precisely where her frustration lies. Since then, hardly any major maintenance has been carried out.
“These facades are from 1988. People can no longer heat their homes. Some literally feel the cold in their necks. They have been painted once and a poor mechanical ventilation system has been installed. And for the rest? Don’t worry. Nothing has been done about insulation or making the homes more energy efficient.”
Neighborhood committee
Leida is not the only one who is angry. “When I got the keys in 2012, I was already told: keep in mind that everything will come to a standstill within a few years. On March 12 we were told that there are no plans, but they will meet with us again in August. What have we done in recent years?”, says Jeroen indignantly. According to him, the neighborhood is ‘the forgotten place of Beverwijk’. “People talk about us, but not with us.”
Jacqueline has also been experiencing problems with Pré Wonen for years. She struggles with a poorly fitted kitchen, mold in the house and cracks in the ceiling – and she is no exception. Jeroen adds: “I know someone with moisture between the window frames. It is not a private problem. Much here is simply at the end of its lifespan.”
