On
september 4th 1999 a group of homeless people, named Boligaksjonen, squatted
the vacant building at Hausmannsgate 40. H40 and the rest of the whole city-block
had by then stood abandoned for quite a number of years, but lots of needles
and garbage told of provisionall inhabitants.The years
have passed
Now there are 12-15 inhabitants at Vestbredden. A part of the building was
exeptionaly damaged by leakage and thus infested with fungus. By removing
the old insulation (wich was dirt) and put on new floor-boards we seem to
have kept this problem at bay. Additionaly a pice of the fundament had been
washed away, with the consequence that the whole of the south-eastern corner
was in an imiminent danger of collapsing. Fact is that if we had not mended
these structural injuries, the whole caboodle would have crumbled with in
a half a year. We also have plans to put a new cover on the roof with in the
next few years. At the same time we will seek to replace a suport beem that
was totaly rothen away. For the present we have compensated the damaged component.
In July 2003 we got the firedepartement on our backs and has afterwards made
an effort to have the building meet the minimum fire-safety standards. As
we are in no way easy to remove, also the local government has treated us
with a fire-alarm system.
We have worked hard to make this house inhabitable and we do not intend to
let us selves be removed peacefully.
We have gotten neighbours
The cultural center Hausmania has been a tenant in Hausmannsgate 34 the last
few years. By a hair-raising contract Statsbygg has tried to slide the responsibility
of governmental administration onto a collective of artists. The artists at
Hausmania has vision's about an open and vivid cultural centre along the west-bank
at Akerselva, an alternative to the "cultural-center" (the opera)
that is to be buildt in Bjørvika. The people at Hausmania hopes to
construct a artistic melting pot, where joy of crativity and enthusiasm is
more important than initial capital.
October 9th 2005 also Hausmannsgate 42 was squated by housing-activist from
Boligaksjonen, many of wich previosly had been evicted from the Mor Godhjerta
squat. H42 was then evicted within a couple of weeks, and promtly re-squatted.
Since then the activists have been allowed to keep the building in peace.
While Hausmania and Vestbredden/H40 have been engaged in negotiations with
the local government, with the end to achieve legal contracts, the intention
has all along been to bring the new-squatters into the process as an equal
partner to Hausmania and Vestbredden/H40.
Black
clouds
In 2003 Statsbygg became imposed to market the entire city-block at highest
bidder. Minister Norman, then head of the Work - and administrasjondepartement
and with that also Statsbygg, was in a position to potentialy do a good deal
to ease condition for people in the aerea. A recommendation by the minister
to adopt a policy that would have opened for directed sale, and below marked
price, would have been a solid suport. But kjipe Viktor seemed to lack any
understanding of social-politics - when he stated that directed sale was by
no means a option.
Vultures
Our city block is a potential pearl in central Oslo, located just a coblestone-throw
away from Akerselva. And thus the property was soon to be sold to Aspelin
- Ramm co. Parts of the oposition at the cityhall has conventionaly displayed
a bit apprehension for the housing pproblems in the norwegian capital. Unfortunatly
the right (Høyre), liberals (FrP) and the fundamentalist christians
(KrF) has for long allegorized a constant borguise constipation. Now it seems
that the christians has comprehended that art and culture buys votes. Prior
to Christmas 2003 the cityhall resolved that Oslo commune would bid on the
property, for the purpose of bailing out the cultural activity at Hausmania.
A good deal of insecurtity was noted about majority at the townhall actual
desire to carry out the bargain. But as for that the local government kept
theire word in this issue and in May 2004 the Hausmann was bought for the
sum of 12 millions.
Future
Recently city-council member Merete Agerbak Jensen has stated that the squatted
houses in Hausmannsgate are due to be evicted. We on our part hope to come
to an agreement on governmental financial support and loan, that will allow
us to buy and secure our home, Hausmannsgate 40.
How can we associate ourselves with a society that will not house us?
-From borgouise-press older news about Hausmannsgate 40 and other squat-actions