Category Archives: housing crisis

ABANDONED BY NEWHAM

Carpenters Estate, Coronavirus, Covid-19, families, Focus E15 Campaign, housing crisis, mothers, Newham council, overcrowding, personal story, women

At the end of June and after lockdown restrictions eased, Focus E15 campaign went back out on the streets. At the weekly street stall we have met many people struggling with overcrowding living and poor quality housing – made much harder to sort out due to the pandemic and the closure of services. This stress has been compounded by the knowledge that Newham, a very diverse borough where over 70% of residents are Black, Asian and people of colour, is the borough with the second highest death rate in England from COVID19 . Many campaigners have been making the connection between poor housing, poor health and increased risk of illness.

The residents of Brimstone House are organising. Fed up of isolating with children in box rooms, with windows that don’t open in the sweltering heat wave and no answers from the council about what their housing future is, they are planning to take action. In addition to this one hostel block there are also thousands of other people in Newham struggling with housing in a borough where over 25% of people live in overcrowded situations. Try and explain to them why over 400 homes lie empty on the Carpenters Estate and have done for years and years and years.

We know that if we organise together we are stronger and we have a voice.

In order to illustrate this please take a look at Mary’s story below. She has been trying for over a decade to sort out her living conditions, one of thousands of people who feel abandoned by Newham and for whom, having a new Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, for the last two years, has changed nothing.

Mary and her 21 year-old son and 18 year-old daughter are living in a two bedroom council home. For over ten years, Mary has been trying to ensure that there is enough space for the children growing up who need separate bedrooms as stated in all guidance and legislation on sex of children and overcrowding. She has been on the housing waiting list for over 12 years, it is in fact longer but the council lost her original application. She bids regularly, and she is on a council and private swap register.

Mary has been to see her local MP Lyn Brown, has been to see her councillor, has even been to Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz’s surgery. Everyone listens but does nothing. She has told these elected representatives very personal details of her family’s history that explain the urgency of her situation. But still no action, no replies, no follow up.

During lockdown in the pandemic, this stressful situation has been magnified and relationships have become very strained. Mary, who sleeps in the living room anyway and hasn’t had a proper bed for years, is now also working from home. Her son also returned from university due to lockdown and has been trying to study from home. Mary explained that the physical and mental health strains are ‘exacerbated by the lack of space for everyone’.

Thank you Mary for getting involved with Focus E15 campaign and sharing your story. The more we stand together, the stronger we are. Newham Labour Council must act to alleviate the housing injustice in the borough.

The East London Federation of Suffragettes were active 100 years ago in east London, but they remain totally relevant today. We echo their sentiments when we say that we need Deeds Not Words when we encounter the brick wall that Mary and others have come up against when dealing with the council. https://www.eastlondonsuffragettes.com/

Join us on the street outside Wilko’s every Saturday on the Broadway from 12-2pm and help educate, organise and mobilise for our right to long term housing that is safe and secure.

Why I displayed a resistance banner in my temporary accommodation (Brimstone House)

#housingcrisis, Carpenters Estate, Coronavirus, Covid-19, families, Focus E15 Campaign, housing crisis, Newham council, overcrowding, women


”On the 1st of May I decided to make a resistance banner. This is my way to make stand about how I feel  living in temporary accommodation/bedsit provided by Newham council. I feel it is the only way to get public attention and for people to understand about living in such conditions in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.” 

”People from deprived and over-populated areas such as Newham are more likely to catch the virus. My thoughts behind making the banner and hanging it up on the balcony of Brimstone House was to simply say I have had enough. I am angry and frustrated that for myself and many other families living in temporary accommodation, we have been disregarded by the Council.

With so many empty homes around Newham such as those on the Carpenters Estate, it is totally inhumane and unacceptable to have families living in one room with children.

We are scared for our lives and our children lives. There is not enough being done by Newham Council to protect us as residents with so many empty flats lying empty.

The least they can do is open them up.”

By Marsha from the Focus E15 campaign

RADIO INTERVIEW ON HOUSING DURING CORONAVIRUS

Listen to Focus E15 campaigner Egwolo being interviewed by Pete Day from ”NuSound Radio 92FM” here: http://radiopete.org/home/nusound-radio-92fm-140520-focus-e15/

Resistance banners appear across London for Mayday

Coronavirus, Covid-19, housing crisis, london

We may be locked down at the moment but groups and campaigns are turning their thoughts to the political situation this Mayday by putting out messages of anti capitalist resistance at home and on billboards and bus stops. Here are a selection of some messages both inspiring and angry. Check out lockdown banners on Facebook for loads more! Happy mayday comrades.

Educate! Agitate! Organise! Mayday 2020.

TAKE ACTION ON MAYDAY TO DEMAND EMPTY HOMES ARE OPENED!

#housingcrisis, Covid-19, families, Focus E15 Campaign, housing crisis, overcrowding

Following our online meeting with Moms 4 Housing, Focus E15 have decided to call for action on Friday 1st May, in the form of creating and displaying banners to demand that empty homes are opened because housing should be a human right.

Get creative and make your banner – walk down the street with it, hang it out a window, whatever you prefer. But make sure to take a picture and hashtag: #OpenEmptyHomes and #HousingIsAHumanRight

Our friends and comrades in the USA and around the world will also be doing action to highlight the same message. Follow Moms4Housing here: https://moms4housing.org/

Remember to check out the Moms4Housing meeting podcast: https://focuse15.org/2020/04/26/moms4housing-webinar-released/

Give solidarity, take action this Mayday!

Moms4Housing webinar released

class, gender, housing crisis, podcast, racism, women,

On Sunday 19 April 2020 Focus E15 campaign in Britain and Moms4Housing in the USA organised  an online webinar to discuss tactics during the Covid19 pandemic. Focus E15 campaign have edited the audio and are releasing it as a podcast which you can find below. During the meeting attention was turned towards ways to take action on May 1st to mark international workers day and to take our campaigns for decent long term secure housing onto the streets.

RECLAIM HOMES FROM THE USA TO THE UK – ONLINE PUBLIC MEETING – REGISTER NOW

#housingcrisis, class, Coronavirus, Covid-19, E15 Occupation, eviction resistance, evictions, families, Focus E15 Campaign, focus E15 mums, homelessness, hostel, housing crisis, housing struggles, intentional homelessness, overcrowding, private landlords, public action, race, racism, refugee, single mothers, social cleansing, women, , ,

On Sunday 19th April at 6pm London  / 10am California join us for this meeting co-hosted by Focus E15 Campaign in London, England and Moms 4 Housing in Oakland, California, USA https://moms4housing.org/ 

There are four times as many empty homes in Oakland as there are people without homes, and in the UK there are double the amount of empty homes as homeless people.

 

The Covid-19 crisis has escalated the need for action to allow everyone to be housed and live in dignity and safety.

This session will hear from grassroots organisations either side of the Atlantic who are taking action against this same problem. We are using this time of crisis to share experience, education and ideas for action.

These people need homes, these homes need people!

REGISTER HERE:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_whmQYqKTT72mg06iZtxrcw 

 

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In response to the Covid-19 emergency

housing crisis

Focus E15 campaign sends love and solidarity to  those who are suffering under the Coronavirus emergency – whether physically, mentally, or economically. We salute all key workers and give our gratitude to them for working to keep us safe and well.

During this crisis, housing campaigners need to be heard, we will not stay silent as the gross inequalities and cracks in the system are laid bare for all to see. Housing is a public health emergency. Our demands are as follows:
 
Open all empty homes now: families living in crowded temporary accommodation need long term stability and the space to get well.  We know of countless cases of families surviving in single rooms, like the families stuck in Brimstone House hostel.  We have been saying for 6 years to Newham Council -open all homes on Carpenters Estate now!
 
Provide long-term housing for those in temporary accommodation and for those who are street homeless.  To stay safe and well people need secure housing.
 
Long-term freeze on rental payments and evictions – find out more about your housing rights during the pandemic https://londonrentersunion.org/c19rentcrisis/
 
Give all our key workers the protective equipment they need – it is urgent to keep all our friends and families safe and protected.
 
It is important that we are stay connected to our local communities at this difficult time.  We encourage you to join a Mutual Aid group to find support near you:  https://covidmutualaid.org/
 
Educate, Agitate Organise!
Focus E15 Campaign is committed to politically organising and taking action during the lockdown in the following ways:
 
EDUCATION and ORGANISING:  We are running a program of weekly political discussions, which we are calling  ‘virtual street stalls’, where we can stay in touch with each other and be up to date with the key issues around housing and Covid 19, in order to educate ourselves.  Every week we will  try and have an invited speaker, share an article or short video clip and discuss a different topic. We will also be hosting virtual special political meetings and online monthly campaign meetings. Please join us and spread the word!
 
Sat 11th April, virtual street stall:  EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS FROM INDIA
 
Sat 18th April, virtual street stall:  HISTORICAL FEMINISM and the fight against Domestic Violence during Covid-19
 
Sun 19th April, political meeting:  RECLAIM HOMES, from USA to UK.  Hosted by Moms 4 Housing in Los Angeles, and Focus E15 Campaign in London.
 
Sat 25th April, virtual street stall:  EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS FROM PALESTINE
 
Sat 2nd May, monthly campaign meeting: POLITICAL STRUGGLES IN LATIN AMERICA-   from Colombia to Cuba. Internationalism in the fight against Covid-19!
 
Please find details of all these events + Zoom call information by regularly checking the Focus E15 campaign’s Facebook page.

Our tribute to Chelsie.

Focus E15 Campaign, housing crisis, statements

Focus E15 campaigners are heartbroken to learn of the death of our young comrade Chelsie, in Newham on Tuesday 10 March 2020, aged 18 years old. Chelsie’s death is an enormous loss to the campaign. She was a crucial part of the Focus E15 campaign family, and our thoughts, solidarity and love are with Jasmin, Janice, Kayleigh and Safia, Chelsie’s parents and siblings and all of her family and friends at this terrible time.

Since the inception of Focus E15 campaign over 6 years ago, Chelsie, then aged 12, has been one of our youngest campaigners. The courage and dedication shown by the original group of young mothers who refused to be moved out of London and stood up to Newham council and East Thames Housing Association, made an impression on Chelsie because she understood that these young women should be housed in their communities near their support networks and families. It was not long before she was demanding ‘social housing, not social cleansing’ as she took a stand against the corruption of Newham Labour council. Surrounded by discussion, debate and action, Chelsie got more involved and she demonstrated against the vermin-infested overcrowded housing in a neighbouring borough by excitedly dressing up as a cockroach on a lively street protest outside Theori Housing. Her enthusiasm and sense of fun lifted campaign spirits.

Chelsie’s interaction with campaign life illustrates how, in a campaign, everyone has a place, a role, something to bring, abilities and talents to share. From the small detail of having a laugh on the street stall that Chelsie instigated, to her role in helping make childcare possible so that everyone could participate fully, it was Chelsie who stepped up with ongoing support in a myriad of ways. A regular street stall supporter, Chelsie did face-painting for children in Summer and cinema trips in Winter, never complaining when she had to see the same film one more time. Talented at drawing and painting, Chelsie collaborated with our campaign artist Andrew in making political banners. On the Carpenters Estate at a big public meeting, Chelsie, took part in a performance of a puppet show alongside Andrew and Jasmin. She had helped write the script and showed her understanding of the class forces at play in the struggle for decent housing. Chelsie recently helped re-organise our office space to provide a much-needed children’s play area, so that those fighting for the right to be housed could take part in meetings and discussions while their children were looked after in a child-friendly environment.

We can all learn from her patience, generosity, sense of fun and kindness she showed to young children who she loved and who loved her. We will also always remember Chelsie’s love of animals, the fun facts she taught us, and how happy she was when the regular Saturday street stall dog arrived – sprinting the last bit of pavement to reach Chelsie, wearing her trademark bright colours.

While we mourn Chelsie’s death, we also celebrate Chelsie’s life. Chelsie helped us understand that together we can make a difference and she was part of the feeling of solidarity and comradeship that is so important in Focus E15 campaign. Her contribution to the campaign teaches us also, that there must always be space for the ideas and the contribution of our young people.

We will never forget Chelsie’s commitment and loyalty to the campaign.

Focus E15 campaigners send our love to everyone affected by Chelsie’s death.

Viva Chelsie!

img-20200315-wa00061910179613.jpgwp-15845684648101396354703.jpg

A tribute to Mary Finch

housing crisis

Focus E15 campaigners were very sad to learn about the death of Mary Finch who was an inspiration to us all, a real fighter for housing justice and an amazing woman who lived on Carpenters Estate. We are sending our thoughts and love to Mary’s family, friends and neighbours at this difficult time.

A tribute to Mary Finch by Sally Grey from Blueprint Theatre

Mary Finch was a thorn in the side of Newham Council who knew that as long as she lived, they would not be able to remove her from her home of almost 50 years.

A vociferous campaigner since the Carpenters estate first appeared on the radar of developers, Mary fought off bids by a host of shady organisations, attracting attention from around the world with her feisty character and determination to protect her community from profiteers. She and her loving husband, Brian, understood the need for more homes on the estate. They also knew that didn’t mean anyone should have to give theirs up – and they recognised the senselessness of 400 empty homes left to rot in a community once thriving.

Such was the force of her spirit that she features in 3 plays written about the area. Mary was the hero of our play, Legacy, which wouldn’t exist without her and she featured in Land of the Three Towers and E15. She was also the subject of several dissertations and made appearances in the local and national press.

It is said our work is not about individuals but about the bigger cause. This is true but there would be no bigger cause without the individuals fighting for it; so, whilst Mary was speaking for all on the Carpenters, she was aware of the strength of character and personality required to take on the council, the university and the private developers. She knew that it took someone special; that at the heart of every cause, there are exceptional individuals. And Mary Finch was one in a million.