A group of mothers from the Focus E15 hostel were told that they would be rehoused in areas such as Birmingham, Hastings and Manchester, instead of accepting this they reclaimed and occupied an empty block of flats on the Carpenters Estate in Newham. These flats in Stratford, East London had been left empty for months and months, waiting to be sold to developers to create luxury flats just next to the Olympic Stadium.
It seems completely absurd that so many flats were left empty, in perfect working order, whilst families were told that they would have to leave their friends and local communities to start new lives in places miles away.
This process of gentrification is happening across many boroughs in London, with councils selling off housing to private developers, paving the way for the rich (the minority) and pushing out the poor (the majority).
Thank you Focus E15 - your brave actions show that urgent and radical action IS required, we need more social housing.
In your words: 'Social Housing Not Social Cleansing'
Let's hope that the support for you will keep gathering momentum and the attitudes of the decision makers will start to change.
Focus E15 on twitter - @FocusE15
Focus E15 on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-E15-Mothers/602860129757343
Aditya Chakrobortty:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/23/real-politics-empty-london-housing-estate
Sarah Kwei:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/05/focus-e15-mums-fight-for-right-to-home
Russell Brand and Focus E15
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29462590
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