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Brixton news, rumour and general chat - August 2014

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It's been (in the main) an interesting few pages on gentrification in Brixton. Pity it will be closed in the next few days. But I guess the usual shit will start soon so maybe it's for the best
 
editor said:
Brixton is more and more becoming a split community.

There's the Brixton for those who are lucky enough to own their own house. They're the sort of people who are generally very enthusiastic about the gentrification, the nice new shops, the lovely upmarket restaurants and bars because - for them - life is getting better every day as their assets soar in value. They're sitting pretty.

And then there's the Brixton for renters - people who are living in fear of either losing their tenancy altogether (this now includes council tenants) or having such huge price hikes thrust on them that they'll have to leave the community they've been part of for years. And some are as angry as fuck about this, and their frustration grows with the lack of support and solidarity shown by some parts of the community.

It seems that a lot of those in the former group are either unable to comprehend what life is like for those at the other end of the spectrum, or they're simply not interested or don't care. In fact, some would be happier if those in Brixton council estates were made to move on so 'nice' new accommodation can be built for the better off (and, yes I have heard this directly).

And there's certainly no question that some of the posters here are fitting some of these stereotypes.
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Its the system that is wrong not necessarily the people living in it. The government,councils, banks, estate agents and private landlords are fucking people over, rich and poor. I know people with fairly well paid jobs that have families and a mortgage and still struggle to pay the bills. What are they to do?
 
editor said:
It was intentionally a general comment. People can make up their own minds if so inclined. Your predictable attempts to shit stir by making it personal have been noted though. Zzzzz.
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Virtually every day we have to endure your simplistic lectures about the haves and have-nots of Brixton. Telling us what we already know, not just because you repeat the same old stuff relentlessly, but because we also live here, see what's going on, and care about it. It's immensely insulting to imply that amongst the regular posters here, there are people who don't care about or aren't interested in the things that affect the least privileged in this neighbourhood. Or who want people moved out.

Many of us here, including me, are relatively privileged - financially and otherwise - residents of Brixton. But so are you. So leave off with your implied judgements about people not caring as much as you do.
 
teuchter said:
Virtually every day we ...<blah blah>
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"We"? :facepalm:

Please resist the temptation to post up any more of your deeply hypocritical and disruptive personal character assassinations as they add nothing of value to the boards whatsoever. Thanks.
 
editor said:
There's the Brixton for those who are lucky enough to own their own house. They're the sort of people who are generally very enthusiastic about the gentrification, the nice new shops, the lovely upmarket restaurants and bars because - for them - life is getting better every day as their assets soar in value. They're sitting pretty.

And then there's the Brixton for renters - people who are living in fear of either losing their tenancy altogether (this now includes council tenants) or having such huge price hikes thrust on them that they'll have to leave the community they've been part of for years. And some are as angry as fuck about this, and their frustration grows with the lack of support and solidarity shown by some parts of the community.

It seems that a lot of those in the former group are either unable to comprehend what life is like for those at the other end of the spectrum, or they're simply not interested or don't care. In fact, some would be happier if those in Brixton council estates were made to move on so 'nice' new accommodation can be built for the better off (and, yes I have heard this directly).

And there's certainly no question that some of the posters here are fitting some of these stereotypes.
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"They're the sort of people who are generally very enthusiastic about the gentrification" is a rubbish generalisation about people who have bought property.

Your theory that owning/renting conforms to an idea of lucky 'have' and unlucky 'have nots' is simplistic and meaningless. You make it sound like these are paths people are born into with no ability for self determination.

I know lots of people who decided in their 20s and 30s to save up to buy a house, and lots who decided not to. Those I knew who bought saved hard and made sacrifices, or received small windfalls they invested instead of spending. I'm sure many people in Brixton could have spent less money on travel, beer, techie toys, having fun etc and put that money into a deposit, but chose not to.

All that a deposit does is give you a mortgage - a massive debt - you don't just get to automatically own a freehold outright and watch some mysterious flow of cash come pouring in. I'm not saying everyone has had the opportunity by any means, but pretending there are just two options is nonsense.
 
ringo said:
"They're the sort of people who are generally very enthusiastic about the gentrification" is a rubbish generalisation about people who have bought property.
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Sorry, I meant 'own' as in actually owning property outright, not being tied to a hideous mortgage which I know can be crippling. I should have been a bit clearer there.
 
editor said:
Sorry, I meant 'own' as in actually owning property outright, not being tied to a hideous mortgage which I know can be crippling. I should have been a bit clearer there.
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That makes quite a difference. Sounds like more of an age thing though. To own a house outright would suggest paying off a 20 - 25 year mortgage, so probably someone in late middle age/retirement. I imagine most people would like a quiet life and a return on their 25 year investment by then, and hoping to not have been left in negative equity by fluctuating house prices, which is not that uncommon. I know people who put their money into property instead of a pension because they couldn't afford to do both, it's still a risk they're taking on their future well being in their old age, not a winning lottery ticket. Might seem it looking at house prices this year, but people have lost their life savings several times in our lifetime and probably will again.

Not sure how it automatically leads to them becoming "unable to comprehend what life is like for those at the other end of the spectrum, or they're simply not interested or don't care". That's a broad generalisation.
 
ringo said:
Not sure how it automatically leads to them becoming "unable to comprehend what life is like for those at the other end of the spectrum, or they're simply not interested or don't care". That's a broad generalisation.
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It was a broad and perhaps sloppy generalisation and clearly not everyone thinks like that, but I continue to be amazed by the sheer lack of understanding by some about the realities of life for those at the other end of Brixton's 'success story.'

Like when someone excitedly tweets about a meal in some trendy restaurant "only" being £35 a head or whatever. That's what some people on my estate have to feed their families on for a week.

But hey! These are the things that bother me. I've no doubt they don't bother others.
 
editor said:
Like when someone excitedly tweets about a meal in some trendy restaurant "only" being £35 a head or whatever. That's what some people on my estate have to feed their families on for a week.
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One reason why I gave up reading the New Statesman back in the 80s - a review of a Japanese restaurant at something like £100 for two, joke champagne socialist mugs :rolleyes:
 
I wonder how long you could feed a family for, on the price of a ticket to the opening night of Kate Bush at the Hammersmith Apollo.
 
editor said:
Let's put it another way.
Are new council houses being built? No.
Are people buying council properties? Yes.
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Lambeth is about to build some council houses (Somerleyton). Housing associations are building (eg shared on Effra rd).

Where people are buying council houses under this dodgy right to buy policy it does not diminish the total supply of housing. About 11,000 homes are being sold off annually - across the country.
 
SpamMisery said:
Lolol your conversations really do brighten up my day :D

teuchter with his sneaky sideswipes followed by editor reacting angrily on cue. It's like a slick comedy routine
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But they add precisely nothing to the topic under discussion, they cause disruption and no doubt make the place a lot less appealing to potential new contributors. So forgive me if I don't share your happiness at the endless hominems and unpleasant personal attacks.
 
leanderman said:
Lambeth is about to build some council houses (Somerleyton). Housing associations are building (eg shared on Effra rd).

Where people are buying council houses under this dodgy right to buy policy it does not diminish the total supply of housing. About 11,000 homes are being sold off annually - across the country.
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So - just to get this straight - you think there's more (or at least the same amount) of council housing stock that there was, say ten years ago?

Lambeth has certainly got rid of vast chunks of its short life housing stock. Where are those people supposed to go?
 
editor said:
So - just to get this straight - you think there's more (or at least the same amount) of council housing stock that there was, say ten years ago?

Lambeth has certainly got rid of vast chunks of its short life housing stock. Where are those people supposed to go?
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Yep - I don't think there is a lot less social housing stock in Brixton than ten years ago.

Short life is a separate issue.

I don't know what numbers were involved.

But, as with right to buy, the housing is still used and in some cases, but not enough, has been retained by the council (eg bits of Rushcroft).
 
leanderman said:
Yep - I don't think there is a lot less social housing stock in Brixton than ten years ago.
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So where do you think the replacement council housing stock has been coming from? Loads of flats in my block are now privately owned, and you'll see those for sale signs all over the estates and all I usually hear about is Lambeth flogging off properties.
Amidst the worst housing crisis in decades, with the official homelessness rate rising by 14% in 2011-12 and social housing waiting lists reaching a cumulative total of five million people, it is clear that the logic of this equation does not add up. With rents and property prices skyrocketing across London, those who can afford to live in places like Brixton are increasingly only the highest earners. A single flat in one of the Rushcroft Road blocks was recently sold for £475,000.

Lambeth Council has announced intentions to sell three of the six Rushcroft Road blocks on the open market. With one estimated value of £5.5 million, these are headed quickly into the 'luxury flat' terrain. Two additional Rushcroft Road blocks, evicted a couple of years ago, were already sold on the private markets.

This sits alongside the eviction of 50 people from Clifton Mansions, a Brixton hub of arts and music culture occupied by squatters for two decades. The council spent £380,875 on the eviction alone, and then £63,976.80 on private security company Camelot to make the flats 'habitable' for their live-in 'property guardians'. After being sold to property developers Lexadon, a three bedroom Clifton Mansion's flat is now available to rent for £2,100 a month. In an era of low wages, high unemployment, and caps on housing benefit Lambeth's 'disposal' of this public housing stock is fuelling gentrification processes that are narrowing who can afford to live in the area.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/opens...brixton-creating-housing-insecurity-in-london
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Rec pool is closed 'indefinitely' for 'Unscheduled maintenance'

They really are utterly useless.... To much to hope Lambeth were bright enough to put a clawback clause in their contract?!
 
editor said:
So where do you think the replacement council housing stock has been coming from? Loads of flats in my block are now privately owned, and you'll see those for sale signs all over the estates and all I usually hear about is Lambeth flogging off properties.
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Well, right-to-buys are running at 11,000 a year nationally.

Up from around 8,000 last year.

A third are in London.

That is not a lot for Lambeth. 100 or so?

The signs you see may be the effects of 30 years of right-to-buy.

Pretty sure there have been no right-to-buys in this (long) road in recent times.

Not least because much of this part of Brixton is owned by L&Q housing association, which won't let tenants buy.
 
leanderman said:
Well, right-to-buys are running at 11,000 a year nationally.

Up from around 8,000 last year.

A third are in London.

That is not a lot for Lambeth. 100 or so?

The signs you see may be the effects of 30 years of right-to-buy.

Pretty sure there have been no right-to-buys in this (long) road in recent times.

Not least because much of this part of Brixton is owned by L&Q housing association, which won't let tenants buy.
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So what brand new (as opposed to refurbished/rebuilt) council housing stock have you seen going up in Brixton recently?
The big flog off of housing co-operatives has seen even more pressure on the remaining council homes, as there's obviously far less social housing about.

I'm still getting letters inviting me to go for RTB for for my flat and I've never seen so many 'for sale ' signs in my neighbourhood.

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/housing/c...sing/buying-a-council-home-right-to-buy-guide
 
editor said:
So what brand new (as opposed to refurbished/rebuilt) council housing stock have you seen going up in Brixton recently?
The big flog off of housing co-operatives has seen even more pressure on the remaining council homes, so there's obviously far less social housing about.
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I don't think I was arguing that council housing was being built.

Instead I said that the social housing stock is not much diminished over ten years.

And where it has been, tenants have become owners, with no net effect on supply and demand.

Short life, as the name implies, is a separate situation.
 
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