Düsseldorf Tenants March Against Investor Evictions
In Düsseldorf, tenants and activists are fighting back against investor-driven evictions, with a neighborhood walk planned for Sunday, November 3, starting at 12:30 PM at the market hall on Bankstraße 43. The event aims to raise awareness about the issue affecting a wide range of tenants, including seniors, people with disabilities, and double-income couples.
The walk will highlight the experiences of tenants facing evictions or rent increases due to investors buying buildings for profit. The alliance for affordable housing, formed by tenants in Golzheim-South, has identified 17 buildings where tenants are under threat. The event will include stops at individual houses, followed by a final rally at Kolpingplatz around 3 PM.
The alliance proposes a social preservation ordinance and a right of first refusal for the city when selling multi-family houses. However, the CDU Düsseldorf rejects further application of such an ordinance, viewing it as bureaucratic and ineffective against evictions. Instead, they favor strengthened tenant protection through housing supervision. The city of Düsseldorf has not provided support to tenants facing eviction, considering it a private problem.
The neighborhood walk is a call for action, aiming to pressure the city and landlords to address the issue of investor-driven evictions. The alliance hopes to preserve affordable housing and prevent long-standing tenants from being forced out of their homes.
