Our next meeting will be held on 15th February, 11am – 1pm at:

Unite, Moreland St, London EC1V 8BB.   

Let us know what’s happening locally, and if there are things you want to discuss.

Our first organising meeting of 2020 on 18th January had a fantastic turnout, with people from Harlow, Southampton, Aldershot and Horsham, and at least 13 London boroughs, representing council, housing association and private tenants, councillors and trade unionists.  There was determination to build the campaign in the year ahead, and a good, open discussion about how to do this.

We agreed to:

  1.  Update the Charter for Housing Action for 2020

  2.  Send the Charter to Mayoral and council candidates, and to Labour leadership/deputy leadership contenders, asking for their endorsement. Also invite other groups to support and add their names.

  3.  Update “Vote Housing” flyer in time for May elections.

  4.  Need to form more contacts/links for national campaign against Universal Credit.

  5.  Support Justice for Grenfell in building and organising event in April in Kensington, raising critical issues around the inquiry, fire safety etc.

  6.  Attempt to open up discussion with Extinction Rebellion

  7.  Need to be vigilant about forthcoming demolition ballots, and share information asap.

  8.  Improve our social media operation.

  9.  Consider a possible housing hustings prior to May elections.

  10. Use the Charter and other material for local actions, stalls etc.

Hope to see you on the 15th.

Vote Housing  

Council homes and rent controls win huge support

Millions of us are trapped without a secure, safe home we can afford – because the private market has failed to build the homes we need. Billions of pounds of public money have been wasted subsidising private developers, who’ve make record profits, while housing need has soared.

In 2019 tenants, trade unionists and housing campaigners together demanded action for:  

·        A 20 year programme of investment to build 3.1 million non-market rented homes.

·        New, effective regulation of all landlords.

·        Independent tenant organisations.

·        Reforming private renting, including ending “no fault” Section 21 evictions.  

We asked all political parties to commit to build 100,000 council homes a year, with secure tenancies, paid for with direct government investment. Now make 12th December election about housing   [The main parties have announced their housing policies for the election on 12th December.  

·        The Conservatives say they will continue to rely on private developers to build housing.

·        The Lib/Dems have a commitment to “social” housing, but make no mention of council housing.

·        Labour says it plans to build 150,000 new social rented homes a year, 100,000 of them council homes.  Shelter has welcomed Labour’s policy, calling it “transformational”.  The National Housing Federation said it would be a “game changer”.  
#VOTEHOUSING

Download our #VOTEHOUSING flyer here: HFA-DCH_GE2019_A6_2pp_print

The election is on and we need to make sure all parties are put on the spot to demand housing action. Can you help by:

1. Contacting local candidates to sign our Charter for Housing Action: http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/charter-for-housing-action/

2.  Organise a local housing hustings, to put candidates and their parties on the spot.  Link up with local tenant groups, housing and other campaigns to help.  Email us for leaflets, and any other help.

3.  Contact key people deciding on Labour’s 2019 Manifesto. This needs to include action to:

• Build 100,000 council homes a year for social rent;
• Ring-fence an annual £10 billion housing grant to deliver these; 
• Rent controls and more rights for private renters (as supported unanimously at this year’s Labour conference).
• Ask your candidate and Labour party leadership to ensure this action is included in Labour’s 2019 manifesto.

We have postponed our next meeting until after the election.  

If you want leaflets, stickers or other help for local campaigning, get in touch. We will email again with updates on our short films to share on social media, on why we need action on housing. And with details of election events on housing.

We are determined to keep up the pressure for action, now and in the coming general election.  As the housing crisis gets worse, 210,000 children are registered as homeless, some of them living in shipping containers, while Government does nothing.

We will be making election preparations. to keep the pressure up on tenant’s rights, regulation of private and housing association renting and investment in new and existing council homes.  

Next General Meeting:

Saturday 19th October, 11am, Homes for All open meeting, Unite the Union, 33 – 37 Moreland Street, London, EC1V 8BB

Other Upcoming Meetings – London:

Monday 14th October, 6.30pm, SHAC open meeting, Unite HQ, 128 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8TN

Saturday 26th October, 12pm, Defend Council Housing national meeting, Unite the Union, 33 – 37 Moreland Street, London, EC1V 8BB

Write to MP’s about our Charter for Housing Action

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HFA_charter_A4_v2.pdf

Sign the George Clarke petition:

https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-commit-to-building-100-000-new-council-houses-every-year-for-30-years

Download our Autumn 2019 newsletter to stay in-the-know on housing news and sign our Charter for Housing Action:

HFA-DCH_TUC2019_newssheet_A4-4pp_web

Grenfell Never Again: the Daily Mirror newspaper and Fire Brigades Union have launched a campaign to make our homes safer. 

Sign the petition today and let us know if you can help link up with unsafe blocks in your area.

Petition Here: 

https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/grenfell-never-again-keep-our-buildings-safe?source=mirror

Find out more information about the petition here:
https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2019/06/14/firefighters-launch-grenfell-never-again-campaign
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/grenfell-must-never-happen-again-16516937

The next Homes for All organising meeting is on 29th June 11am at:

Unite Office in Moreland St EC1V 8BB.   

Let us know if there’s anything you want to raise, or report.  And keep in touch to build the action where you are! Contact us here.

Whoever is the next Prime Minister, we need action on housing now. This week sees an MPs debate, and also marks the second anniversary of the terrible Grenfell fire.
On Thursday 13th  June MPs will debate radical plans to build 100,000 council homes a year.  Can you email your MP, ask them to attend the debate (from 2pm in Westminster Hall) and vote for the motion?   

Find MPs here: https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-your-mp/

And if you are near London, there is a protest 2pm Parliament Square, to demand urgent action.  Join if you can.

On 6th June backbench MPs will debate the scandalous failure to rehouse Grenfell tenants or remove toxic waste, improve building and fire regulations, and remove dangerous cladding and other risks to homes.

We will join Grenfell and housing campaign groups at:

Parliament Square, London from 11am on the 6th of June 2019

Let’s demand action on homes, an end to housing deaths and Justice for all at Grenfell and those round Britain still threatened by cladding and building failures.

Please email your MP asking them to join the debate: https://www.mysociety.org/wehelpyou/contact-your-mp/

Friday 14th marks the Grenfell two year anniversary, with a Silent Walk in London:

7pm start: https://www.facebook.com/events/2408072305910220/

And in other cities and towns across the UK.

On the 15th June, Grenfell community organisations are holding a protest march to demand justice and action on toxic waste and rehousing.  We are backing this march, and invite local groups to invite a speaker, order leaflets and build support from others in your area. 
https://www.facebook.com/events/581265065709901/ 

We will be assembling at Downing Street, SW1 12 noon. Join us, with other tenant groups, trade unions and community organisation, to demand justice.

See leaflet: 

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/J4G-protest-15June-2019.pdf