Axe The Housing Act will be marching this SATURDAY 1 JULY at the Peoples Assembly National Demonstration: Not One Day More

Assemble 12pm, Saturday 1 July 2017 at:
BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA 

March to Parliament Square

Millions voted for change on June the 8th, including a new approach to housing.

With the government and its Housing and Planning Act now in paralysis, we push forward with our demand for decent, secure homes and rent control for all.

The terrible Grenfell fire is exposing criminal failures and neglect, savage cuts to public services and the refusal of this and many landlords, to listen to tenants.

Join the movement on Saturday June 24th 2017 at 12pm. Parliament Square, London SW1

Justice for Grenfell Protest

6pm, Friday 16th June at:

The Department for Communities and Local Government, 2 Marsham Street, SW1P 4DF

At least 17 people have died in the fire at Grenfell Tower. They deserve justice. We demand answers.

See Facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/622169744656241/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1497475901681578

Tenants die when landlords don’t listen.

A ‘Vote for Homes’ protest marched to Downing Street today.
The noisy protest put housing as a central issue in the coming election. Council, housing association and private renter tenants, trade unions, homeless and community campaigns,  joined to demand action to control rents, build council homes and scrap the Housing and Planning Act 2016, which threatens existing and future tenant rights and homes.

A letter signed by film maker Ken Loach, academic and author Danny Dorling, the Bishops of Stepney, Southwark, Croydon and others, Generation Rent, Demolition Watch London, plus trade unions and many others, was symbolically delivered to 10 Downing Street.

See letter with signatures here:

http://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/AtHA_election2017_openletter_A4.pdf

Launching the ‘Housing at the Crossroads’ election letter earlier, supporters explained why they signed the letter:

Tawanda Nyabango, secretary of the West Ham and Canning Town One Housing Tenants and Residents Association, said:

“We are coming together to fight for our rights. Nurses and teachers facing a 40 per cent rent rise demand, have had their pay capped so their real income is falling.   We want to link up with tenants of other housing associations, and trade unions, to build a bigger housing campaign movement.”

Jelane Stevic, tenants’ campaign St Michael’s Gate Peterborough sent a message:

“Nearly all the people who lived in St Michael’s Gate a year ago have lost their home.  It could be you next.  Past governments have failed us.  That’s why I’m supporting this statement and demanding decent, secure homes and rent control for all.”

Niall Mulholland, of London Cooperative Housing Group, said:

“All parties in this election need to commit to scrap the Housing and Planning Act, and invest massively in social housing.  Housing co-ops are an important part of the housing we need, and need land to develop more.  They do not replace council and housing associations and that’s why we are part of this movement. The Housing Act 2016 is still a threat.”

Judith Amanthis, of Housing Association Residents Action, said:

“Housing associations are being deregulated due to the Housing and Planning Act. They are pushing up rents: Genesis is demanding a 177 per cent rent increase from secure tenants, many pensioners.  The National Housing Federation is just acting as a bosses’ club for housing associations.  The Housing Association Residents Action group wants to help link up HA groups.”

Seb Klier, of Generation Rent, said:

“There are more private renters in the UK than voted for the last Government. Private renting is now a cause of poverty and homelessness. People aren’t moving into it as a lifestyle choice, it’s because there’s no alternative. We want rent controls – not just caps – and security from eviction for private renters.  We also want to see more council housing, and to link our housing campaigns together.  We need an organised, mass private renters movement – it will be a massive force for change if we are organised.”

Suz Muna, Unite Housing Workers

“We need to link housing campaigns to the wider campaigns against austerity.  This election is a clear choice for all of us, as housing workers, tenants and leaseholders.”

John Grier, Leeds Hands off our Homes, said:

“I remember when I first saw the film ‘Cathy come Home’ and it made me cry.  We are going back to those days.  I was privileged to grow up in council housing – now in Leeds there is spreading homelessness everywhere and 25,000 on the housing waiting list.  This is not a London crisis – it’s a national housing crisis.”

Paul Burnham, Haringey DCH campaign against demolition, said:

“The key thing we have to win is a vote for residents before any estate can be demolished.  We have a right!  The demolition of council housing must stop – it’s social cleansing.”

Eileen Short of Axe the Housing Act, which co-ordinated the letter and protest, said:

“The election matters.  And whatever the result, we will be back here on 24 June.  The pressure of campaigns has helped put housing on the political agenda. We are determined to keep it there.”

All Photographs by Debbie Humphry.

Join us this Thursday 25th May, 5.pm at:

Parliament Square, London SW1P 3AD

For a ‘Homes for All’ election protest to expose hollow Government promises on housing and benefits, and demand action – see our Facebook event (please share and invite others):

https://www.facebook.com/events/1288459611207987/

Come along with banners, friends, neighbours and workmates – and bring keys (real or cardboard) with your housing message attached. We will deliver them to Housing and Benefits ministers!

Leaflet here:

https://www.axethehousingact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/M4H2_24June2017_postcard3_print.pdf

Join us at our Election Protest in London on 25th May 2017 at Parliament Square, London SW1.

In this upcoming general election we must demand housing be at the forefront of all political agendas.

VOTE FOR HOMES

The latest development on the former Heygate estate at Elephant & Castle, has provoked outrage and as a result has received wide media coverage:

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/every-flat-in-a-new-south-london-development-has-been-sold-to-foreign-investors

Tenants and housing campaigners will protest this Wednesday 19th April 5.30-6.30pm at the estate, now called ‘Elephant Park’; meet at junction of Heygate Street with Walworth Road.

We want homes local people can afford, built for people not investors (wherever the money comes from).

Please spread the word, share the Facebook event: We demand homes@Heygate hosted by

Axe the Housing Act – secure homes for all.

Our next organising meeting for the Axe The Housing Act campaign will be on Saturday April 22nd.

11 a.m at the Unite Office, Theobalds Road, Holborn London WC1x 8TN.

We will reconsider our plans, as Teachers unions have announced an important march against education cuts, on 24 June clashing with our planned march.  Suggestions include co-ordinated days of local protest,  and stepping up pressure on the Housing Minister to defend lifetime secure tenancies and extend these to all tenants.

Come along with ideas, or email reports, ideas and suggestions to demand an end to the Housing Act’s threats, rent controls and secure homes for all.  Such homes were build amid economic and social chaos after 1945 – it can be done now!

All welcome.

Housing problems are mounting, while Government dithers and Housing Act threat to tenancies, rights, sell offs and housing association deregulation remain.

Support is growing fast for a March for Homes 2 on 24 June, with Unison and other trade unions, National Union of Students, Churches, Peoples Assembly and others offering support.

Please come with ideas to a mobilising meeting:

27 th March 6.30pm at Unite Offices, 128 Theobalds Rd WC1X 8TN to be part of it.

Further information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1270028319777609/
Help us build the links to create a movement that wins rent controls and secure homes!

All welcome – please spread the word.

Housing Association Residents and workers are welcome to attend the next action meeting.

6.30pm, 5th April 2017 at:

Millman Community Centre, 50 Millman Street, WC1N 3EW (Venue TBC)