It is not just students who are struggling with housing in August 2022. At Strømmen, close to the Nitelva, 50 men live in an old barracks building. At the end of the month, everyone has to move out. – Here is my room, says Marcin Frankowski, who shows us around. He has been bidding on his tiny dormitory for three years. Actually, he is in Norway to work and send money back to his three children, but a couple of years ago he had an occupational injury. – I have been waiting for two years for an operation, because of the pandemic, he says. Now he goes to Nav. He is not optimistic about how the rental market looks for a Polish disabled man in August, when there is no shortage of other tenants. 50 men from Poland, Lithuania, Romania and many other countries live in this barracks building. Most of them are migrant workers. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news Short notice The notice came on 13 July, in Norwegian, when the vast majority of the residents were on holiday and visiting family. The property company says it would have been difficult to tell from the previous ones. Kenneth Johansen Skaarud is project manager for Stor-Oslo Eiendom on the site. Photo: Stor-Oslo Eiendom – When we got the message and we had to wind down the business there, we quit as soon as possible, says Kenneth Johansen Skaarud, project manager at the property company Stor-Oslo eiendom. They took over the plot in 2019. Their plan is to develop the area with new apartments, but it will take time. Therefore, they were given permission by the municipality to rent dormitories in the building for two years, until 1 January 2022. When it became clear that the building plans did not come into place during these two years, they applied for two extra years in December 2021 Half a year later, they were told that the application was incomplete. They then decided to wind down operations, instead of following up on the application. Since those who live there initially have short monthly contracts, the project manager hopes that they can find other alternatives quickly. – But we think it’s a shame to wind up, and that then people are left without a home, and have to go out on the market. Long-term housing on a short contract With such short contracts, there is nothing legally in the way of what the property company does. Nevertheless, several bids have been in the building for much longer. – I moved in in 2013, says Jan Szklarczyk. It was after he had to move out of the barrack town at Alnabru, which was closed down. He has nothing against the small rooms, or the kitchen and bathroom that he shares with 49 other men. One of the baths the men in the barracks building share. Nevertheless, he thinks that the standard has gotten worse in recent years, with an outer door that cannot be locked, a broken window and a leaking toilet. – It was better with the old owner. We called and things were fixed, he says. The rental company M3 tells news that they planned to improve the building, and had an inspection in May, before they were told about the liquidation. Several things should be fixed in the building. The main entrance lacks a lock, so that anyone can enter. The lift is destroyed and locked so that no one can enter. The common area has several destroyed things and old furniture. The window in the hallway is broken. Jan pays around NOK 4,500 a month, since he has lived there for so long, while Marcin pays NOK 5,500. There is no difference in the size of the room. Must leave at the end of the month Lillestrøm municipality emphasizes that it is not they who have ordered that the residents have to move. – We still lack documentation to be able to fully assess the application, said Ellen Anita Holterhagen, head of department for construction matters in Lillestrøm municipality to news at the beginning of August. Shortly after, on 14 August, Stor-Oslo eiendom withdrew the application. With that, the municipality will follow up that everyone actually moves out by the deadline. – If not everyone has moved out within the deadline that they have set, the municipality will follow this up as an illegality case, says Holterhagen. Difficult situation In the common area, there is talk of what will happen in the next month. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news Fortunately, both Jan and Mircan have found a place. Jan has found a room in a housing association, while Mircan gets a municipal housing through Nav. Nevertheless, they are concerned about their neighbours. – The whole situation is very problematic, says Mircan. As people come home from work, they say hello, and one person asks if they have understood that they have to move. Several are listed. Some have employers who can help them, but others will be broke at the end of the month. As the day wears on, more people come home to the building, which will soon be empty. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news
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Marcin Frankowski must move out of barracks with one month’s notice – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
