As a homeless charity, we show solidarity with all those affected by evictions. Evictions only cause people to end up living in homelessness and they are also a symptom of a society and politics that are profit-oriented and that do not act in the best interest of the population.
It has been known for years that there is a massive shortage of affordable apartments for low-income persons, recipients of social benefits, homeless persons, refugees, students and many other groups in Berlin. However, the rents -even those of public housing- are being consistently increased. This leads to more and more apartments being excluded from social obligation. In the meantime, there are apartments, even entire buildings, that stay empty because, due to the rapid value increase, they are worth renting at a later point in time.
In spite of that, luxury apartments, hotels and offices are being built. This aggravates the problem rather than mitigating it. The increasing rents cause that always more people cannot afford their rents and have to be evicted. That is how more and more persons are driven into homelessness.
Affordable apartments have to finally be created. The rent price cap is a nice signal. However, the problem can only be solved long-term with the massive construction of social apartments and with an extensive expropriation of private housing companies. Only when apartments are not a commodity anymore, will the necessities of poor and homeless people be taken into consideration. Moreover, evictions have to be stopped immediately. Every person that is forced out of his/her apartment and forced to live on the street is one too many.
We claim: every person deserves a good and self-determined life, regardless of origin, gender or work.
