13 September 2007

AMSTERDAM – The municipality of Amsterdam wants to work with large investors to buy up more of the buildings in the red light district so as to combat crime and deterioration. The city has its eye mainly on prostitution businesses and coffeeshops.

Together with NV Stadsgoed of housing corporation Het Oosten Amsterdam has already acquired 83 buildings in the notorious neighbourhood.

"We plan to continue this on a larger scale," alderman Lodewijk Asscher (economic affairs) said on Thursday. "We are in talks with large investors who can develop new investment plans for the inner city under the direction of the municipality."

Charles Geerts ('Fat Charles'), one of the most important business owners in the red light district, is on the verge of selling all his buildings to an Amsterdam housing corporation. A considerable number of prostitution windows in the area will disappear with the sale.

The municipality revoked Geerts' brothel permits in 2006 because of his presumed criminal connections and allegations that he was using his empire for laundering money. The accusations have never been proven however.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2007]

Subject: Dutch news