Hamburg-Altona: Evacuated Residents Offered Temporary Housing After Building Demolition
Hamburg, August 21 – Residents of a partially demolished residential building in Hamburg-Altona, evacuated due to imminent collapse, have been offered new accommodation. The Altona district office announced that the multi-family house, located in the neighboring Chemnitzstraße, will be provided by the Altoba housing cooperative.
According to Sebastian Kloth, head of the Altona district office, the building was originally scheduled for demolition as part of a new construction project. However, at the request of the district office, these plans have been postponed, allowing the affected residents to be offered accommodation for up to two years.
Residents View New Accommodation
Milena Thompson, one of the affected residents, expressed gratitude: “The offer really touched us. We are so grateful that the district office approached us on its own initiative.” The first residents are expected to move into the new apartments in September. However, the housing cooperative will charge rent for the replacement apartments, explained lawyer Marc Meyer from the Hamburg association “Mieter helfen Mietern” (Tenants Help Tenants), who represents the residents of Holstenstraße.
The residents are still considering the offer. “We would prefer a long-term solution. We are currently waiting for an expert opinion from the structural engineer before making a decision,” said Milena Thompson. Their long-term goal is to return to their home on Holstenstraße.
Evacuation and Demolition
In July, the five-story apartment building was evacuated due to an acute risk of collapse. Residents had only about ten minutes to gather their belongings, leaving behind furniture and many personal items. Two neighboring houses were also evacuated.
An anonymous report about “problems with the building” was made to the Altona district office at the end of June. However, the office stated that it receives numerous complaints daily and cannot respond immediately to every message.
In July, residents noticed cracks in the walls and called the fire department. A structural engineer’s assessment confirmed the building was unsafe, leading to the evacuation order. A subsequent inspection in early August revealed that the cracks had worsened, necessitating the demolition of the old building, constructed in 1894. Demolition work took place last week.
Search for Personal Belongings
This week, residents were able to search for personal belongings among the debris, which was spread out on the former Holsten Brewery site. Milena Thompson recounted finding a postcard from her grandfather, sent a year before his death, an unexpected discovery.
Responsibility and Compensation
The question of who is responsible for the damages and losses remains unresolved. Marc Meyer holds the building’s owner, real estate entrepreneur Wolf-Peter Schneider, accountable. If residents accept the offer in Chemnitzstraße, Meyer believes the owner should cover any additional rent costs.
Regarding compensation for lost possessions, Meyer stated: “Of course, the goal is to find out-of-court solutions for the damages incurred.” He noted that civil litigation could take several years.
The full extent of the damage will only become clear once the structural engineer’s report is available. Meyer explained: “Two-thirds of each apartment is still standing. Whether these two-thirds can be saved depends on the structural engineer’s findings. Without this report, we don’t know if the standing part of the house and the property within it can be salvaged.”
Source: https://taz.de/Nach-Teilabriss-von-Wohnhaus-in-Hamburg/!6204353/
