After years of discussion with the municipality, it’s clear – Endhoven’s houseboats will go. Now it remains unclear what compensation the owners will receive. The residents are fed up with this uncertain situation.
According to Eindhoven politicians, the ten houseboats are too close to heavy industry. So there’s nothing else to do but move them. “In the end, we have to choose for the activity that’s located there and for the economy,” Thomas Reijnaerts, former D66 party chairman, told Studio040.
That was in 2017. “If we were to choose the houseboats, half the industrial estate would have to go.”
‘We’re giving up’
The boat dwellers themselves are tired. “After ten years, we’re giving up the fight. We accept that we have to leave,” says houseboat owner Miriam van Esch.
“But then give us clarity about the compensation. We want to know whether we’ll be able to afford a house or flat at all.”
The future of the houseboats’ location was discussed at the council meeting on Tuesday. If the boat owners have to wait too long for an answer, they’ll go to court again.
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translated by: Bob
