Eviction Looms for Single Mother: Social Housing Controversy Sparks Community Outcry in Molenbeek

The problems began in 2022, four years after Khadija obtained social housing in the Gandhi towers in Osseghem from the Logement molenbeekois. According to La Dernière Heure, the problems "appeared with her elders." "They were causing problems in the neighborhood, going out with other young people. It got worse with Covid because they had nothing else to do. The Logement molenbeekois then launched eviction proceedings based on police reports targeting the young people," it is reported.

Khadija is then threatened with eviction because of the behavior of her sons. Incomprehensible in the eyes of the family, who take the case to court. She wins the case: the decision is overturned. "The judge felt that evicting a mother with her four minor children at the time for these reasons was not justified. But the Logement molenbeekois appealed this decision and won the case last March," the mother of the family further states.

"In 2022, when there was the first eviction notice, the PTB and Ahmed El Khannouss (Molenbeek autrement, now president of the CPAS, NdlR) had supported Khadija against the former majority who wanted to evict her," explains José Garcia from the Tenants’ Union who is accompanying the mother. He adds: "With the appeal decision, an agreement had been reached, the eviction was postponed until another home could be found for the family. In return, Khadija agreed to keep only her 12-year-old son under her future roof."

She assures that her eldest no longer lives with the family and the 19-year-old twins are in the process of finding a solution on their own (contacts have been made with the CPAS and a housing assistance association for young people). "They offered me a room at the Relais in early 2025 (an establishment linked to the CPAS that temporarily accommodates people with housing problems). But it’s a shelter. A simple room with my child is not possible, they had promised to find housing, not a temporary room."

Khadija declines the proposal. After the refusal, the mother receives a new eviction notice for the end of July in her mailbox. The Logement molenbeekois, recently chaired by Dirk De Block (PTB) who is also the Alderman of Housing, justifies the eviction decision. "An eviction is never taken lightly. This measure remains exceptional: it is only the second eviction for serious behavioral problems (here we are talking according to several sources of threats and violence towards Logement staff: "they terrorized Gandhi", we are told). Over the past five years. In this case, the situation concerns a context of repeated violence, compromising both the safety and well-being of the other tenants and our staff," he explains in a press release.

And to continue: "For several years, conciliations have been attempted (in 2020 and which had led to a relocation agreement, according to the Logement) followed by rehousing proposals to another neighborhood (two proposals including a new three-bedroom apartment in the municipality, still according to the Logement) but the family refused at the time. It was after this that the Logement launched the eviction procedure. We understand the emotions that such a measure can arouse, but we must ensure the protection of all tenants and our staff."

Khadija can count on the support of the Molenbeek CPAS. She expresses her willingness to support a request from her family for social housing in Wallonia.