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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

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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
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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.

 

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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.

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Next General Meeting – October 27th 2018, London

Our next organising meeting will be held on Saturday, 27th October, from 11am at:

The TUC (ground floor canteen area), Congress House, 23-28 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3LS 

(five minutes from Tottenham Court Road tube station).

Key issues to discuss include:

1.  Building and organisation for the “No Demolition Without Permission” protest at London City Hall on 3rd November:

https://preview.tinyurl.com/ydbhhjwe .

2.  Planning and building for the national “Safe, Secure Homes for All”  summit on 8th December .

Leaflets for both of the above will be available for you to take away and circulate.

The deadline for responses to the latest Government Green Paper on housing – https://tinyurl.com/y8r4pg56 – is 6 November.

Send in responses-  you can use Homes for All outline here: https://tinyurl.com/ydg77re7

 

 

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No Demolition Without Permision – Rally at City Hall, London 3rd November 2018

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Sign our petition to halt demolitions of our social housing estates:

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/841/331/525/no-demolition-without-permission-homes-for-all/?taf_id=58918999&cid=fb_na

We are building and supporting a protest taking place at City Hall, London  12 noon on Saturday 3rd November.

For further context to this critical issue, watch the BBC programme Inside Out (3rd Sept, link below) which revealed 8-10 London estates are scheduled for full or partial demolition:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bhnjy8

 

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General Meeting – October 8th 2018, London

We’ve had a busy and productive month. We had several days of intensive lobbying and leafleting at Labour Party conference.  This led into a good fringe meeting, with 40 people from a range of places and backgrounds.  The over-arching message was the need to step up our demands, and build a united, national campaign to win Homes for All.

Regarding the Government green paper on housing there are three main issues to be aware of are a) threat of new stock transfer programme b) use of league tables for housing services c) setting up of National Tenant Voice.  All of these could be used to advance privatisation and/or fake council housing (e.g. by use of local housing companies).

Our next meeting will be on Monday 8th October, 7pm, National Education Union HQ, Hamilton House, Mabeldon Place, London WC1H 9BD

All welcome. Email us reports and actions from your community.

 

 

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Next General Meeting – 15th September 2018, London

 

Join us at the next Homes for All campaign meeting on Saturday, 15th September 2018.

11am – 1pm at:

Tybalds Close Estate Community Hall

Basement, Bleumundsbury House

Dombey Street WC1N 3JP

The meeting is open to all.  Please let us know if you have any reports from your community or would like to add anything to the agenda.

The action points from last meeting can be found in our Resources

AMONG THE ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED ARE:

Here is our Response to Labour’s Housing Green Paper:

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Labour-Green-Paper-on-Housing-May2018_responsefinal.pdf.

Use this as an outline for local responses to help determine Labour’s future policy.

And congratulations to the local campaign in Bath that’s prevented Curo Housing Association demolishing their homes:

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/news-opinion/opinion-foxhill-court-decision-implications-1708924