–
Most recently at Action Coalition
- Newsletter No 166 of 02 December 2023Action alliance against housing shortage and urban destruction, Newsletter 166 Vigil against vacancies in front of the building at Kalker Hauptstraße 88 Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 11 a.m. Why do people live on the street? In Cologne, Mayor Reker and Social Affairs Director Rau have been saying for years: “Nobody has to live on the streets in Cologne.” Alexander Koop, Head of the Social Participation Department of the City of Hanover, in an NDR program on winter aid: “Why do people want to live on the street? Probably because the conditions you get are not ideal. We have to… Continue reading Newsletter No 166 of 02 December 2023
- Newsletter No 165 of 25 November 2023Action alliance against housing shortage and urban destruction, Newsletter 165 Vigil against vacancy Hitzelerstr.125On Saturday, November 25, 2023 our vigil against vacancy will take place from 11 a.m. in front of the building Hitzelerstr.125 in Raderthal. The building has an interesting history. Because it was the broadcasting center of the predecessor of WDR in 1927, there is interest in housing a radio museum in the listed building. We do not want to oppose this. But as long as this is not realized and the building is empty, it is also interesting for people who live on the street. The city… Continue reading Newsletter No 165 of 25 November 2023
- Newsletter No 164 of 18 November 2023Action alliance against housing shortage and urban destruction, Newsletter 164 Protest rally against vacanciesNovember 18, 2023 from 11 a.m. Friedrich-Engels-Str.7, 50937 CologneSusanne Esch wrote about the vacancy of the Russian Federation houses in Cologne-Lindenthal in the Stadt-Anzeiger at the end of October: https://www.ksta.de/koeln/lindenthal/lindenthal-veedel/koeln-lindenthal-stadt-hat-plan-fuer-russisches-geisterhaus-672619On Saturday, we let Roland Schüler from the district council and Erich Bethe from the Bethe Foundation have their say, clarifying what was written in the Stadt-Anzeiger.In view of the large number of homeless people and the inadequate and not always suitable places to house them, we want to emphasize our demand for the immediate expropriation of the… Continue reading Newsletter No 164 of 18 November 2023
- Newsletter No 163 of 11 November 2023Action alliance against housing shortage and urban destruction, Newsletter 163 Finally abolish homelessness!!!Several thousand people demonstrated against the housing shortage in Zurich on Saturday. “No profit with land and rent”, “No to the attack on tenancy law”, “Housing for all” could be read on banners. .:https://www.woz.ch/taeglich/2023/11/06/trotz-wohnungsnot-zueri-isch-no-lang-noed-totThe need to take to the streets for the human right to housing has not yet reached this scale in Cologne. At least the council and committees are now addressing the fact that things can’t go on like this. One in ten Cologne residents pays more than 50% of their monthly income on rent. https://www.ksta.de/wirtschaft/zahlen-der-stadt-koeln-mietbelastung-ist-in-chorweiler-am-groessten-680466And… Continue reading Newsletter No 163 of 11 November 2023
- Newsletter No 162 of 04 November 2023Action alliance against housing shortage and urban destruction, Newsletter 162 Fighting poverty instead of the poorInstead of tackling the causes of the AfD’s emergence and successes, we are seeing a government whose chancellor has himself photographed on the front page of SPIEGEL with the idiotic slogan “We must deport on a grand scale”. Historian Patrice G. Poutrus pointed out in an interview in DIE ZEIT on 20.10.2023 that the hysterical defence against refugees ultimately also de-legitimizes the presence of those people with a history of migration who are already here: “These are the very best conditions for racism to flourish.”… Continue reading Newsletter No 162 of 04 November 2023
- Newsletter No 161 of 28 October 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 161 SPD initiates debate about Cologne housingOur rally in front of City Hall and the Council meeting were in solidarity with the printers laid off by DuMont and their families. How closely job loss and homelessness are linked is sung about not only by the Höhners with “Alles verlore, keen Arbeit, keen Wohnung, keen Jeld”.Andi Goral of report-k reports on the discussion of the application of the SPD on the housing shortage in the council meeting of 26.10.2023: Christian Joisten, SPD speaks for housing that now is crisis. Especially against the… Continue reading Newsletter No 161 of 28 October 2023
- Newsletter No 160 of 21 October 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 160 “Rich people are looking for a home”The housing activists of ‘Recht auf Stadt’ and other friends of satire like the ‘Pappnasen Rotschwarz’ will march through Cologne-Marienburg on Saturday, October 21, in search of a worthy home for the poor rich in Cologne. Because the cathedral city lags in the competition with other metropolises far behind: Where owner-occupied apartments cost in Paris to 25 million euro, in London to 170 million and in New York even over 200 million dollar, the most expensive Cologne dwelling so far – a Penthouse in… Continue reading Newsletter No 160 of 21 October 2023
- Newsletter No 159 of 14 October 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 159 “Rich people are looking for a home” – Satirical demo through MarienburgOn Saturday, 21.10. at 11.11 a.m. the group “Recht auf Stadt” together with the “Pappnasen rotschwarz” march through Marienburg and protest against housing shortage and housing speculation. The “Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Destruction” and “Wohnen wagen” will be there. Here, the hottest villas stand empty because the owners prefer to speculate or fight over their inheritance rather than rent. Whoever knows Monopoly knows that whoever owns Parkstrasse has already won!So we know what’s what, on August… Continue reading Newsletter No 159 of 14 October 2023
- Newsletter No 158 of 07 October 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 158 “Rich people are looking for homes”Condominiums are selling for over $200 million in New York.https://de.manhattanmiami.com/manhattan/100-most-expensive-manhattan-properties-for-sale In London, there was also a nice top price for a condo at 170 million euroshttps://www.welt.de/finanzen/immobilien/article8966222/Teuerste-Wohnung-der-Welt-hat-neuen-Besitzer.html In Paris, the international clientele has to put down 25 million for a city apartment. https://www.engelvoelkers.com/de/blog/immobilienwissen/markttrends/wohnimmobilienmarkt-paris-aufwaertstrend-der-immobilienpreise-setzt-sich-fort/ Mayor Reker, who promised to lead the city to top positions in all profitable areas when she took office, is distressed. The rich still can’t find a truly rich, world-class home in Cologne. The rich are poorly off in Cologne. When a penthouse,… Continue reading Newsletter No 158 of 07 October 2023
- Newsletter No 157 of 29 September 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 157 “Alliance of OB Reker failed”.Mayor Reker explained in the Stadt-Anzeiger on Saturday, September 23, 2023 how she envisions countering the rising approval ratings for the AfD. Title of her guest article: “Cologne must confront national radicals and populists”.https://www.ksta.de/koeln/gastbeitrag-der-oberbuergermeisterin-koeln-muss-nationalradikalen-und-populisten-entgegentreten-652288 Rainer Kippe found this too little, and wrote this letter to the editor to the Stadt-Anzeiger:Dear Sir or Madam,I would like to thank you very much for your article “against right-wing sentiment” in yesterday’s edition.I think it is good that you have given the floor to Henriette Reker, our Lord Mayor.I share… Continue reading Newsletter No 157 of 29 September 2023
- Newsletter No 156 of 23 September 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 156 “How the new class disguises itself with morals and betrays solidarity”.On Sept. 19, 2023, an article on page 1 of the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger carried this headline: “Scholz demands more action against poverty.” Chancellor Scholz made this statement before the start of a summit in New York on the status of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziele_f%C3%BCr_nachhaltige_EntwicklungIn the Federal Republic, the government’s commitment to combating poverty is lacking:The ver.di chairman Frank Werneke has sharply criticized the budgetary policy of the Federal Government. The draft budget for 2024… Continue reading Newsletter No 156 of 23 September 2023
- Newsletter No 155 of 16 September 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 155 WOHNEN WAGEN! on 17.9. at the “Day of the Good Life” in NippesOn September 17, the Day of Good Living 2023 will take place in Cologne-Nippes.WOHNEN WAGEN! will be there.Creative against housing shortage – Mauenheimer Straße 3Solidary approaches for affordable housing for all – whether homeless or refugees.With the interactive rent trail, Recht auf Stadt, the BI Bezahlbares Wohnen in Nippes, Wohnen Wagen! and the Aktionsbündnis gegen Wohnungsnot und Stadtzerstörung offer a highlight on the Day of the Good Life.https://tagdesgutenlebens.koeln/ Where to with Kurt? With his new documentary film “Wohin… Continue reading Newsletter No 155 of 16 September 2023
- Newsletter No 154 of 09 September 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Destruction, Newsletter 154 Against privatisation – private investors – the Winands family – defence against the homeless – substitute imprisonment – housing assistance Cologne – building in the existing stock – kindergarten security – for reading – programmes, reports, news – dates In our neighbourhood – against privatisation of public space Flying blind in social housing construction in the federal state of Berlin The Berlin Tenants’ Association criticises the promotion of private investors; in Cologne it is still hoped that the housing shortage can be solved by promoting private investors: “New funding for… Continue reading Newsletter No 154 of 09 September 2023
- Newsletter No 153 of 02 September 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 153 Protest rally before the council meeting on September 7, 2023 at 3 p.m.(The location will be announced)For the reversal of the rent increases of the GAGFor the abolition of homelessnessIn the current issue of StadtRevue, you can read GAG’s collected justifications for their rent increases. If board member Anne Keilholz is allowed to report that rents continue to be at the lower end of the rent index even after the increases, we would have liked to read how this affects the upper end of the rent index. What is more… Continue reading Newsletter No 153 of 02 September 2023
- Newsletter No 152 of 26 August 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 152 Protest rally before the council meeting on September 7, 2023 at 3 p.m. on Theo-Burauen-Platz.For the reversal of the rent increases of the GAGFor the abolition of homelessnessAt their party conference in November 2019, the Cologne Greens adopted “Solution approaches for the city of the future” under the title “Liveable and affordable housing in Cologne”.https://www.gruenekoeln.de/partei/beschluesse/nachricht/lebenswertes-und-bezahlbares-wohnen-in-koeln-3628They wanted to “increase the share of publicly-subsidized and long-term public welfare-oriented housing.” They called for “the establishment of at least one new sponsor or a new public welfare-oriented company for special construction projects that aim… Continue reading Newsletter No 152 of 26 August 2023
- Newsletter No 151 of 19 August 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 151 We carry the social responsibility of the GAG to the graveand demand: GAG must become social againThis morning at 8:30 a.m. we stood in front of the GAG headquarters at Straße des 17.Juni 4 and GAG tenants from various parts of the city gave vent to their anger. They not only protested against the rent increases, but also reported outrageous utility bills and neglect of the buildings. To avoid this, the participants of the GAG supervisory board meeting did not enter the GAG headquarters through the main entrance.Our impressive demonstration… Continue reading Newsletter No 151 of 19 August 2023
- Newsletter No 150 of 12 August 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 150 “We carry GAG’s social responsibility to the grave”.Rally and demo on the occasion of the GAG annual general meetingon August 18, 2023, 8:30 a.m., Straße des 17. Juni 4. On July 21, 2023, Thomas Münch criticized in the Stadt-Anzeiger: “Because of the interests of a few small shareholders, the city is giving GAG out of hand instead of making it an instrument of social housing.”https://www.ksta.de/politik/nrw-politik/12-580-koelner-betroffen-nrw-meldet-rekord-bei-wohnungslosen-610393Before the then virtual general meeting, Helmut Frangenberg wrote in the Stadt-Anzeiger on 29.9.2021 about the background:GAG Immobilien AG is Cologne’s largest landlord and manages around… Continue reading Newsletter No 150 of 12 August 2023
- Newsletter No 149 of 05 August 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 149 All of Cologne wants a social GAGProtest rally and demo against the antisocial rent increasesAugust 18, 2023, 8:30 a.m., in front of the GAG general meeting, Straße des 17. Juni 4.No to the rent increase – Cologne-Stammheim initiative:What needs to happen:First, we want a suspension of rent increases for 24 months.We expect GAG to use this time to enter into dialogue with tenants and to seek and find social solutions together.With its highest shareholding, city politics must use its influence on GAG Immobilien AG in the interest of a responsible… Continue reading Newsletter No 149 of 05 August 2023
- Newsletter No 148 of 29 July 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 148 Protest rally against the rent increases of the GAGon August 18, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. in front of the meeting of the GAG supervisory boardStraße des 17.Juni 4 – GAG headquarters in KalkIn a smart commentary in the August issue of StadtRevue, Christian Werthschulte calls on Cologne politicians to think about the best way for GAG to fulfill its mission of providing housing on “socially appropriate terms.” For the first time in the whole debate, it is being considered whether GAG needs to be remunicipalized. In any case, the city… Continue reading Newsletter No 148 of 29 July 2023
- Newsletter No 147 of 22 July 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 147 70,000 apartments missing in CologneThe local time Cologne of the WDR addressed this on July 19, 2023: “The biggest problem is and remains new affordable housing.” From minute 7:40https://www1.wdr.de/lokalzeit/fernsehen/koeln/video-lokalzeit-aus-koeln—2508.htmlUnmentioned was the current number of homeless counted in Cologne: 12,580. 4000 of them come from Ukraine. In the local time Hans Jörg Depel of the Cologne tenant association came as the first to word: In Cologne it takes unbelievably long, until building applications are worked on. They are lying there. There is no consensus. Hamburg has set itself a certain target:… Continue reading Newsletter No 147 of 22 July 2023
- Newsletter No 146 of 15 July 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 146 Wallstr.31 – Im Hasengarten 11We have suspended our decision to demonstrate every Saturday in front of the house Im Hasengarten 11 for the tenants of Wallstr.31. The owners of Wallstr.31 have announced a template for a building application with the city of Cologne to discuss. Head of the building department Greitemann assured in the local time Cologne that the city wants that the tenants can remain in the Wallstr.31. The city wants to examine the building application, with which the trade areas are to be converted into dwellings, favorably. Forced… Continue reading Newsletter No 146 of 15 July 2023
- Newsletter No 145 of 08 July 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 145 Rally for the tenants of Wallstraße 31 on July 8, 2023 in front of the house of the owners Im Hasengarten 11, 50996 Köln-Hahnwald.When we stood in front of the house Wallstraße 31 on April 22, we protested not only against the owners of the former hotel, but also against the city of Cologne. See our newsletters 134 and 135.https://www.express.de/koeln/wohn-posse-koelner-lebt-13-jahre-in-kneipe-jetzt-droht-aerger-1-553339In the meantime, there is a public commitment by the city of Cologne to preserve the apartments at Wallstraße 31 and a promise to support the owner in legalizing the apartments.Not… Continue reading Newsletter No 145 of 08 July 2023
- Newsletter No 144 of 01 July 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 144 SSM e.V. invites to the solidarity party on Saturday, July 1 from 4 pm.SSM e.V. has been successfully operating autonomous services of general interest in Cologne-Mülheim for more than 40 years. Hundreds of people who previously lived on the street and on social benefits have gotten back on their feet in the last 30 years through the self-determined work at SSM e.V., and many still live and work on the SSM premises at Düsseldorfer Strasse 74. This free work by SSM saves the city of Cologne almost 400,000 euros in… Continue reading Newsletter No 144 of 01 July 2023
- Newsletter No 143 of 24 June 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 143 Homeless with a Future (OMZ) Full of confidence and trust in the city administration, Hans Mörtter wrote three years ago on June 29, 2020: “I’m really happy. Our OB Henriette Reker was on site today and talked to the people, showing a super attitude that had an effect. Martin Stankowski told me about it, that there had never been a OB visit in the long history of squats in Cologne, hats off to Henriette Reker!!! I had two SMS from her today, we are together and there will be a… Continue reading Newsletter No 143 of 24 June 2023
- Newsletter No 142 of 17 June 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 142 OMZ – Marc Kersten on the ongoing lack of clarity.Two weeks after the forced eviction of OMZ, I was with a group of former residents of the self-managed homeless project at 304 Escher Street today to audition for temporary housing. Since May 31, they have been scattered to the winds.Some had occupied a new house the day after the eviction, but this was immediately stopped by the police. Some then moved to the Friedenspark, but were chased away there the next day by the public order office. The administration did… Continue reading Newsletter No 142 of 17 June 2023
- Newsletter No 141 of 10 June 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 141 OMZ, Vacancy and Palmstraße 19On the 9th Housing Project Day in VHS Forum am Neumarkt we want to point out a few special housing projects:a)The project Homeless with a Future (OMZ), which was a beacon of hope in the fight against homelessness.(Marktstraße -> Gummersbacher Straße -> and maybe Winterberger Straße and following)b)The idea to use the vacancies for example of the Russian Federation to fight housing shortage for the accommodation of homeless and refugees.(Friedrich-Engels-Straße 7 / Aachener Straße 240-244 / Classen-Kappelmann-Straße 47)c)The termination of Cologne’s oldest housing project in Palmstraße… Continue reading Newsletter No 141 of 10 June 2023
- Newsletter No 140 of 03 June 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 140 Palmstraße 19Kalle Gerigk had announced a protest rally against the eviction in front of the house for June 1, 2023. To protect the property, the police were on site with a large contingent. For the protection of the people in the OMZ in Gummersbacher Straße one rarely saw such a posse.https://www.express.de/koeln/zwangsraeumung-von-koelns-aeltester-wg-in-der-palmstrasse-583035Cologne’s oldest residential community must move outhttps://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/rheinland/koeln-aelteste-wohngemeinschaft-kuendigung-100.html Andre Salentin after the eviction of the OMZI am really sorry for my behaviorThat I mention here nowBut somewhere there is also a point before the endNow that the OMZ project is overand… Continue reading Newsletter No 140 of 03 June 2023
- Newsletter No 139 of 27 May 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 139 Wednesday, May 31, 2023 OMZ Open Day.We live in a city where it is possible to spend a billion euros on the renovation of the theater and opera house, while social inequality increases and the poor become more and more and poorer. We live in a city where the police have counted 50 so-called drug-related deaths every year for 20 years. We live in a city that has been calling for a third women’s shelter for 17 years. The two women’s shelters had to turn away 600 requests from women… Continue reading Newsletter No 139 of 27 May 2023
- Newsletter No 138 of 20 May 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation, Newsletter 138 Protest rally before the meeting of the Social CommitteeThursday, May 25, 2023, 3 p.m., Theo Burauen Square, City Hall.One of the agenda items will deal with the SPD’s motion to protect families from homelessness, which was brought to the Council last Tuesday by the SPD, and which Elfi Scho justified in an impassioned speech, and which was referred to the Social Committee by the Council majority. The SPD expects that the council majority will reject this motion, since it calls into question the entire homeless policy as it developed in… Continue reading Newsletter No 138 of 20 May 2023
- Newsletter No 137 of 13 May 2023Action Alliance against Housing Shortage and Urban Degradation Newsletter137 Protest rally for homeless familiesMay 16, 2023, 3 p.m., Alter Markt in front of City Hall.In the council meeting, the SPD parliamentary group requests that the special situation of families in housing need be brought more into focus in Cologne’s homeless assistance system. The best interests of the child must be given priority in the provision of housing and support services:3.1.7 Motion of the SPD parliamentary group concerning “Be-and homelessness – providing housing for families in housing need.provide.” https://ratsinformation.stadt-koeln.de/getfile.asp?id=931700&type=doSince their eviction in January, the Wienands family has been living in a… Continue reading Newsletter No 137 of 13 May 2023
