Shelter residents resist eviction: inhabitants aim to persist at the Ulmer railway bridge
In the heart of Ulm, a community of homeless residents has found temporary shelter under a railway bridge. However, the future of this camp is uncertain, as the city has announced plans to evict the encampment next week.
The residents of the camp are understandably concerned about their future. With no concrete plans or promises of change from those organising the demonstration or the online petition, the uncertainty looms large.
On Friday afternoon, a cleaning action was led by the "Left" party in Ulm, under the banner "Cleaning Instead of Clearing Out". With a small trailer and about 20 volunteers, they set out to tidy the area, collecting trash, clothes, shoes, and books. The aim was to improve the living conditions of the camp, at least temporarily.
69-year-old Andrea, known as "Mom" by the other residents, has lived at the camp for two years. She finds the eviction notice too rushed and expresses gratitude for the help received during the cleaning action. However, she and the other residents fear that they will have to find a new place to stay.
Complaints have been received from the public regarding the hygienic conditions of the camp. The city of Ulm cites significant hygienic deficiencies, an increasing expansion of the area, and a recent open fire with concrete fire danger as reasons for the eviction. A rat problem has also been reported near the tents, with some rats dying from laid-out rat poison.
Despite these challenges, the city of Ulm wants to tailor support offers to the needs of the homeless residents. Various aid agencies are in regular exchange with the homeless residents, but a general accommodation offer cannot be made due to the different living situations and individual wishes.
The city has commissioned the Communal Ordnungsdienst, the Social Affairs department, and the EBU with the eviction of the homeless camp under the railway bridge. A demonstration against the eviction of the camp is planned on the Münsterplatz on Saturday.
For detailed and current information about the situation in Ulm—including any planned evictions or alternative provisions for residents of the homeless camp under the railway bridge—you may want to consult local government announcements, municipal social services, or recent news reports from Ulm-based media.
The residents of the camp, despite the planned eviction, appreciate the temporary improvement in living conditions due to the cleaning action led by the "Left" party. However, they remain concerned about finding a new place to stay, as the eviction notice has left them uncertain about their future. Additionally, discussions surrounding mental health and health-and-wellness are crucial in this context as the sudden displacement could exacerbate existing stressors, requiring appropriate support from science and mental health specialists.
