Social Housing/ private renters/ squatters/ homeless

[CH1]

I see that the new development being built on the site of the former Camberwell Green Job centre is being "released" next week. This release is of course "off plan" - the building work is barely started.

I know editor is particular about these things - so I looked up the planning application. 80% for private sale - 20% shared ownership.

Maybe housing activists will have to consider demonstrating at sales parties like the above to draw attention to the nonsense that is being thrust upon us.

Not even launching in Camberwell - but a hotel in Moorgate - with a video link to Hong Kong perhaps?

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

About 200 protesters chanting ‘social housing is a human right’ force guests from luxury property development companies to use side entrance of hotel.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/...ification-campaigners-disrupt-property-awards

 

[editor]

Here's a co-operative council in action.
Campaigners vow to resist “disgraceful” Labour Council housing co-op eviction today

 

[Gramsci]

Here's a co-operative council in action.
Campaigners vow to resist “disgraceful” Labour Council housing co-op eviction today

And it was successfully resisted this morning.

Kate Hoey MP turned up to oppose the eviction.

The Council officer and bailiff turned up and went. The police looked rather like they would not be there.

 

[Gramsci]

A few more photos.

 

[Gramsci]

people blockaded the house inside and at entrance:

 

[Gramsci]

Lastest info from Lambeth United FB

After the successful eviction resistance yesterday, Lambeth Council have now applied to use High Court Bailiffs to evict Trace, a 56-year-old housing co-op resident who has lived in her home for 35 years.

What's needed now is someone prepared to 'stakeout' and document the eviction which could come at ANY TIME (address: Lillieshall Road, London SW4 0LP)

Meanwhile, we will continue to lobby Lambeth's Labour councillors to stop the escalation of action - something that will have consequences to Trace's health and will cost Lambeth taxpayers thousands of pounds.

The Vauxhall parliamentary candidates for the Conservatives, the Greens, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have united to ask the council to stop the evictions which are now effecting the oldest or most vulnerable residents and those who have kept up their houses the most effectively, houses that Lambeth abandoned.

If anyone can help by urgently lobbying Lambeth Labour councillors and by being prepared to document the use of the High Court Bailiffs, a scary bunch of helmeted heavies, please let us know.

How Lambeth Councillors or bailiffs sleep at night we don't know.

High Court bailiffs are the heavy mob. They do not mess around.

 

[luke forsythe]

trace newman interview while bailiffs try to evict her

 

[Tricky Skills]

Here's an internal email from Cllr Matthew Bennett to his Labour colleagues trying to justify the High Court route that will now be taken to evict Trace Newton.

 

[Gramsci]

The folk at Dorchester Court in Herne Hill are organising a day of action on Sat - details below.
Please head down if you can,


P.S. There's more background about their situation here: https://lambethrenters.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/save-the-dorchester-court-community/


Our day of action (squeezed into 2 hours) Is happening next Saturday 2nd May from 12midday until 2pm on Dorchester Court, Herne Hill SE24 9QX. We will have banners for a press photo op which will then be on permanent display from residents balconies.

We are protesting our landlord/freeholder Manaquel Limited allowing the building to fall into disrepair while at the same time having massive rent hikes for tenants by as much as 60% in a single year. Anybody who questions these rises when their AST contract expires finds the landlord unwilling to renew and the tenant facing eviction.

We are saying enough! We ask those willing to stand with us to come and show their support.

Nearest train stop is Herne Hill or the 68, 468, 42 and P4 buses all come even closer. Bring your banners and your voices. Hope to see you there.

DC Resists

 

[Gramsci]

Here's an internal email from Cllr Matthew Bennett to his Labour colleagues trying to justify the High Court route that will now be taken to evict Trace Newton.

The eviction is on hold at moment due to intervention from Council leader. "pending last minute discussions".

 

[David Clapson]

There's a chart with Lambeth numbers of 'socially cleansed' families in this story in today's Indy http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-welfare-cuts-and-soaring-rents-10213854.html
(I started a thread in the London and South East forum http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/50-000-families-shipped-out-of-london-by-councils.334504/)

 

[editor]

There's a chart with Lambeth numbers of 'socially cleansed' families in this story in today's Indy http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-welfare-cuts-and-soaring-rents-10213854.html
(I started a thread in the London and South East forum http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/50-000-families-shipped-out-of-london-by-councils.334504/)

Disgusting and shameful

The Independent has uncovered cases of depression, attempted suicide and the miscarriage of a child involving those forced to move many miles away by their councils.

Some 2,707 families have been moved out of Greater London over the last two years, the figures show, to locations including Manchester, Bradford, Hastings, Pembrokeshire, Dover and Plymouth.

In many cases, councils are not telling each other when they move families, leaving vulnerable adults and children without the support they need. At least 25 councils have received homeless families without being properly notified by the councils that sent the families. The shipping out of homeless families has, until now, been happening behind closed doors. The representative body for London’s 32 boroughs, London Councils, which collects data on out-of-borough placements, has never made the figures public.

 

[editor]

The eviction is on hold at moment due to intervention from Council leader. "pending last minute discussions".

Pending damage limitation exercises, more like.

 

[Gramsci]

Pending damage limitation exercises, more like.

Sounds to me like Cllr Peck stepped in to override gung ho officer and Cllr Bennett getting high court bailiffs. She is a clever political operator.

 

[Gramsci]

Guinness Trust have put up fences and got heavy duty security on the estate.

Ed went down this morning

My photos from last night of fence:

Guarding a lorry

A lot outside the front entrance

I had a wander inside until told it was not "safe" to be there. More security inside the estate. You can see some at back of this photo.

You can only get in and out of estate in the paths left by the fences. It makes it look like an open prison.

This is GT response to the demos outside the hall and entrance.

 

[leanderman]

Guinness Trust have put up fences and got heavy duty security on the estate.

Ed went down this morning

My photos from last night of fence:

Guarding a lorry

A lot outside the front entrance

I had a wander inside until told it was not "safe" to be there. More security inside the estate. You can see some at back of this photo.

You can only get in and out of estate in the paths left by the fences. It makes it look like an open prison.

This is GT response to the demos outside the hall and entrance.

Friend who lives there claims the protests are holding up works, and consequently the relocation of residents into new units. And she says these relocating residents are very upset.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I notice that there's a planning application in to add balconies and frosted glass screens to the west and east elevations of Clifton Mansions - 150/01955/FUL/DC_JSL(FUL).

 

[shifting gears]

Friend who lives there claims the protests are holding up works, and consequently the relocation of residents into new units. And she says these relocating residents are very upset.

Let's get the violins out - what about the poor fuckers being turfed out?

 

[shifting gears]

Or have I misunderstood your post?

 

[leanderman]

Or have I misunderstood your post?

No. You got it right. Just reporting what I heard.

The friend claimed there was little sympathy for the people being kicked out, saying that most had gone early and taken the £4.7k on offer - all of them, in any case, having knowingly signed short leases.

She may be biased by the fact she has a spanking-new three-bed there at only £150pw.

 

[Effrasurfer]

To quote someone on my facebook: "There is people from my estate, guinness trust, who are part of the core movement, arguing about losing their homes, but they signed temporary contracts, and have been given over 5 bags compensation, yet they are still arguing, my mum has been there since 78, and for redevelopment has had to/yet to move twice, they wasnt given near that, if u know what u sign up to, dont try argue down the line. "

 

[editor]

To quote someone on my facebook: "There is people from my estate, guinness trust, who are part of the core movement, arguing about losing their homes, but they signed temporary contracts, and have been given over 5 bags compensation, yet they are still arguing, my mum has been there since 78, and for redevelopment has had to/yet to move twice, they wasnt given near that, if u know what u sign up to, dont try argue down the line. "

I suggest you point them in the direction of this article: Brixton evictions and regeneration – the story of the Guinness Trust Estate in Loughborough Park, Brixton

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

Scared to speak up and with nowhere to go: is this the price of gentrification?
Tenants on Loughborough Park estate feel intimidated in their homes after protesting against being evicted to make way for new flats.
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...on-residents-paying-true-price-gentrification

 

[Effrasurfer]

I suggest you point them in the direction of this article: Brixton evictions and regeneration – the story of the Guinness Trust Estate in Loughborough Park, Brixton

It's interesting, thanks. Reading the Guinness Partnership website they have a page about the Loughborough Park redevelopment. http://www.guinnesspartnership.com/about-us/press-and-media/loughborough-park-redevelopment. Also had a look at what their raison d'etre is. Seems they're a charity that also has money-making schemes and the profits go back into the social enterprise http://www.guinnesspartnership.com/about-us/governance/legal-structures They're very transparent about everything. http://www.guinnesspartnership.com/about-us/governance/transparency-and-openness. Their Chief Exec makes a quarter of a million pounds a year.

 

[Effrasurfer]

http://www.theguardian.com/housing-...ations-killing-social-housing-affordable-rent "The world has changed: the future is smaller government, and less government support for the poor and vulnerable. This is not because we have chosen to deliver a government programme, but because of bigger questions such as national debt and a change in the nation's attitudes towards the role of the state."

 

[editor]

It's interesting, thanks. Reading the Guinness Partnership website they have a page about the Loughborough Park redevelopment. http://www.guinnesspartnership.com/about-us/press-and-media/loughborough-park-redevelopment. Also had a look at what their raison d'etre is. Seems they're a charity that also has money-making schemes and the profits go back into the social enterprise http://www.guinnesspartnership.com/about-us/governance/legal-structures They're very transparent about everything. http://www.guinnesspartnership.com/about-us/governance/transparency-and-openness. Their Chief Exec makes a quarter of a million pounds a year.

Wow. The man at the top makes even more while those at the bottom earn less.

 

[Effrasurfer]

All perfectly above board squire.

 

[Gramsci]

No. You got it right. Just reporting what I heard.

The friend claimed there was little sympathy for the people being kicked out, saying that most had gone early and taken the £4.7k on offer - all of them, in any case, having knowingly signed short leases.

She may be biased by the fact she has a spanking-new three-bed there at only £150pw.

And I know some of the secure tenants/ residents who are sympathetic to the plight of those on short life tenancies.

When this proposed regeneration of the estate was first went to planning committee the secure and short life tenants were united. The secure tenants wanted the short life to be rehoused on site. This was clear from the meeting. The committee put in an advisory note that the Council / GT should try to do something about this issue.

I also know one of the new Camelot people who is also sympathetic. This person had no knowledge of what was happening on the estate.

btw when your friend says they knowingly signed up. Its not like they had much choice. Its like my friend with Camelot. Camelot are shit. The "contract" Camelot make people sign is crap. There are a l lot of things in life that people cannot oppose. They sign up to them as they need the necessities of life like housing. Its not an equal market place out there of buyers and sellers.

 

[Gramsci]

http://www.theguardian.com/housing-...ations-killing-social-housing-affordable-rent "The world has changed: the future is smaller government, and less government support for the poor and vulnerable. This is not because we have chosen to deliver a government programme, but because of bigger questions such as national debt and a change in the nation's attitudes towards the role of the state."

Are you saying u agree with the article?

I think Housing Associations should have refused to go along with the new "affordable" model.

They are becoming more like private developers. Even if they do not see it themselves.

They are also top down. No where in article does the writer say what the tenants think of this.