Bad Housing Makes Us Sick – Event, London, March 30th 2019

 

Bad Housing Makes Us Sick

 

Join us at the ‘Bad Housing Makes Us Sick’ event on March 30th in London.

This day of discussion with doctors, homeless campaigners and others will focus on how our housing problems are linked to growing mental and physical ill health. 

Raquel Rolnik, former UN Housing Rapporteur, who exposed the Bedroom Tax during her 2014 UK visit, will open the event.

She joins Guardian columnist Dawn Foster, campaigning doctors, Generation Rent, Fran Heathcote of PCS union, Deborah Garvie from Shelter, Justice for Grenfell and Ellen Clifford of Disabled People Against Cuts.

 

Please find the days programme here: Bad Housing Makes Us Sick programme

 

Time and Place of the event:

10 AM – 4PM at Unite The Union, Moreland Street, London EC1V 8BB

 

Workshops planned for the day include:

  • Universal Credit and Benefits Cuts, What They Are and How to Fight Them
  • Housing Safety After Grenfell
  • Housing Insecurity and Mental Health

 

Let us know if you want any publicity materials, and share the Event: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/2284784081740440/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1551003711364794

And book your place here: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bad-housing-makes-us-sick-tickets-57316748939?utm_campaign=new_event_email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=viewmyevent_button

 

We look forward to seeing you there,

 

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Grassroots Campaigns Updates

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Grassroots campaigns are stepping up across the UK. Support local action in your area and let’s make a stand on housing justice this year.

See the latest campaigns in Southend:

https://www.facebook.com/events/397368017708243/

Luton:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/320557735238286/

East London:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2284516195166382/

 

Please share and support these groups and also please sign and circulate this petition objecting to Housing Association homes being sold off:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-housing-association-sell-offs?source=facebook-share-button&time=1550412004&fbclid=IwAR0YlDQTTmAB2rbrfUXU_AKhuhqs7XC5TG5QDd_OLmDRlOcexfkiEY1vYn8

Send details of any housing actions in your community you want to share and publicise. Email us or contact us on social media.

 

January 2019 Briefing and Next General Meeting – February 16th, London

In January we welcomed the Shelter commission report ‘Building for our future – A vision for social housing’ and the recommendations for:

•       A 20 year programme of investment to build 3.1 million social homes

•       New, effective regulation of all landlords

•       Tenant organisation or tenant unions

•       Reforming private renting, including ending Section 21 evictions

We think this needs to include:

•       A clear commitment to build 100,000 council homes a year for rent at social rent with secure tenancies

We will campaign for all political parties to include a commitment to implement these recommendations, in their next election manifestos.   Alongside this, we will actively support a campaign to implement the Shelter recommendations, and push for more action – now and in the future – to ensure a society where everyone has a safe, secure home they can afford.

We will be working with TUC London East and South East to create wider support and action on this, and on the detailed action points from the Housing Summit.

If you can, come to our next organising meeting on 16th February 2019 11am at:

Unite office 

33-37 Moreland St, London EC1V 8BB 

All welcome to help organise action in 2019.  Or email any questions or suggestions.  Please see our decisions from the last meeting:

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/action-points_120119.pdf

 

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Next General Meeting – January 12th 2019, London

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We are meeting next Saturday 12th January 10am at Unite office 33-37 Moreland St London EC1V 8BB (note earlier time and venue – near Old Street station).

We will finish in time for people who want to take part in the National demonstration: Britain is Broken – General Election Now! 12.30pm BBC Portland Place London. Meet with banners opposite new BBC entrance in Langham Place W1B 2QS

This open organising meeting will make action plans, based on the Key Campaign Points (see below) from the “Safe, Secure Homes for All” summit on 8 December.  We agreed then that whatever 2019 brings, we  won’t allow the housing crisis – and the millions of people who are suffering because of it – to be forgotten.  If there’s an election, we need to make sure housing is high on the agenda.

Two new leaflets you can download here, or get in touch for print copies:

Briefing – Beware fake council housing:

Safe, Secure Homes for All Summit – Action Points for 2019

 

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The 2018 summit was an important landmark in our on-going campaign to win safe, secure Homes for All.  About 180 people attended during the day, from a wide-range of places, campaigns and backgrounds.  We want to develop this broad-based alliance in the coming year.

2019 is bound to be one of political uncertainty.  But whatever happens, we won’t allow the housing crisis – and the millions of people who are suffering because of it – to be forgotten.  If there’s an election, we need to make sure housing is high on the agenda.

Key Campaign Points form the Safe Secure Homes for All summit 8 December 2018:

Resisting Estate Demolitions

1.    The Right to Stay Put

2.    Fair Ballots

3.    Link up campaigns on different estates

4.    End two-tier tenancies

5.    No social or ethnic cleansing

Housing Associations (HAs)

1.    Accountability to residents

2.    Democratise HAs

3.    Direct government funding for new and existing homes

4.    More campaigning and protests

Safety

1.    No combustible or toxic cladding, internal or external, on homes of all heights, with  guaranteed protection from cold while cladding and insulation are off

2.    Sprinklers on all blocks above four storeys

3.    Government to pay for all essential safety works, as promised

Private Renters

1.    Charter of Rights to include:

2.    End Section 21 evictions

3.    Secure tenancies

4.    Stop overcrowding

5.    Rent controls

Universal Credit (UC)

1.    No evictions by councils due to rent arrears caused by UC

2.    Councils to call for same commitment from HAs

3.    Build a national network of support

Investing in Council Housing

1.    Government must adopt a national investment plan

2.    Tenants must make demands on council landlords through independent organisation

National Housing Summit – December 8th 2018, London: Programme

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With the shocking numbers of people homeless and in temporary housing still soaring, Ministers are doing nothing. So the National Housing Summit taking place this Saturday 8th December 11am-5pm at Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, LONDON WC1H 9BD, is a place to plan for action.
Hear Generation Rent, Tower Blocks UK, Parliamentary Campaign for Council Housing, Sian Berry of the Green Party, Matt Wrack FBU and Kevin Courtney NEU, Emma Dent Coad MP plus many more housing, fire safety and benefits campaigners.

The full timetable for the day can be found here, or see below:

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Summit2018timetable.pdf

Registration is open from 10.30am; you can sign in and choose your two workshops at the registration desk (this helps us to allocate the biggest rooms to the largest audiences).

Tea, coffee and beigels available at lunch and please let us know if you can bring food to share, or bring your own packed lunch if you prefer.

SAFE AND SECURE HOMES: NATIONAL HOUSING SUMMIT, 08/12/2018
PROGRAMME
11 A.M Opening session Speakers:
Tower Block UK/Ledbury Action Group Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union Joe Delaney North Kensington tenant rep Sian Berry London Assembly, co-leader Green Party Parliamentary Campaign for Council Housing report – Jamie Sweeney Eileen Short Homes for All
12-1.15 PM Workshops (A, B and C)
A) Safe homes – we won’t stay at risk (1) with Danielle Gregory Ledbury Action Group, Graeme Lang Malus Tower TRA Salford; Ruth London Fuel Poverty Action; Hilda Palmer Hazards Campaign; Moyra Samuels Justice4Grenfell; chair Tanya Murat
B) Private renters organise for justice with Jacob Mukerjee Generation Rent; Camilla Carmellin London Renters Union; chair:
C) Stop universal credit arrears and evictions with Miriam Binder DPAC, Sally Causer Southwark Law Centre, Nick Phillips London Unemployed Strategies Chair Peter O’Kane
1.15-2 PM Lunch 
2 – 3.15 PM Workshops (D, E, F, G)
D) Safe homes – we won’t stay at risk (2) continuing the discussion and action planning from workshop A (see above) with other additional speakers including Joe Delaney chair Andy Bain
E) Housing association and co-op tenants organise Housing association tenant reps plus Suz Muna Unite Housing Workers; Niall Mulholland London Housing Coops chair: Peter Denton
F) Stop estate demolition – we demand a ballot Paul Burnham Haringey Defend Council Housing; Sonia McKenzie Fred Wigg & John Walsh campaign chair Nahied Attique Fenwick estate
G) Invest in council housing now Martin Wicks Swindon Tenants Campaign Group; Duncan Bowie author ‘Radical solutions to the housing supply crisis’ chair Marj Mayo
3.30 PM Closing session
Report and one key recommendation for action from each workshop
Closing speakers: Graeme Lang Malus Tower TRA Salford Kevin Courtney NEU teachers union Joe Delaney Lancaster West estate TRA TUC London East and South East Emma Dent Coad MP

Safe and Secure Homes Summit – December 8th 2018, London

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Our Secure and Safe Homes Summit will take place on 8th December from 11am at:

The National Education Union, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BD

 

This year’s summit will be a day of workshops and talks, with guest speakers and housing campaign groups from across the UK. It will be a space to discuss the continuing housing crisis which a specific focus on the safety of our homes and the secure, safety needs of the homes of the future.

Prospective workshops include:

  • Housing Associations and safety
  • Effective action
  • Universal Credit, arrears and evictions
  • Rents and repairs
  • Private renters
  • Fire safety and tower blocks
  • Trade Unions and Tenants and Residents Associations

More details to follow soon. If you would like to contribute or volunteer on the day or help spread the word, please get in touch.

Support and bookings for our National Housing Summit 8 Dec are mounting  – the Fire Brigades Union, TUC London East and South East, Generation Rent and London Renters Union are the latest to confirm they are taking part.

We aim to include an extra session on the rising use of Temporary Accommodation.

Please join and share the event on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2119289301721653/

and by email, and get in touch if you want leaflets sent to you.

This was the main focus of our lively organising meeting last Saturday, which came up with lots of action decisions – see:

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HfA_organising-meeting_101118.pdf

We’re also planning a ‘Housing and Health’ half-day event in Feb 2019  – let us know if you want to get involved in this.

 

Next General Meeting – November 10th, London

Join us next Saturday to finalise plans for two big events. You can
pick up the new leaflet for the National Housing Summit – including the impressive list of speakers and workshops: https://tinyurl.com/yd87etf5

Meeting to be held on Saturday 10th November, 11am at London Unite office 33-37 MORELAND STREET EC1V 8BB near Old St (note new venue).

If you can’t make it, let us know if you want leaflets, and email with any suggestions and updates.

A week later, housing groups will meet from 11.30am opposite BBC entrance, with banners and placards, to say Migrants did not cause the housing crisis – we reject racism and fascism. Our contingent will march on the National unity demonstration: https://tinyurl.com/y93nmv3w.

Join us – and spread the word!

‘No demolition without permission’, mobilised 2-300 people and lots of
banners at last Saturday’s London City Hall protest.

See : https://tinyurl.com/y7ytjx9q
People were keen to join together and step up the action – hopefully
many will be at the Housing Summit on the 8th December:
https://tinyurl.com/yd87etf5

With desperate housing pressure mounting, and the issue back at the
heart of the political agenda, now is the time to come together, work
out our common ground and next steps – and refuse to be divided by
tenure, geography or by racism.