Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt

A long winter in these days of the pandemic is behind us, but now spring has arrived. It is time for dreams and visions, time for protest and resistance. Let us fight together for the right to housing for all : Join the Housing Action Day on March 27-28 2021!

The fight for the right to housing and to the city has intensified in the face of rising prices and rents, results of the increasing commodification and financialisation of housing. On the other hand, the number of decent and affordable housing units has only decreased in all European countries and the public housing stock has shrunk to a trickle.

Today, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemia, we have to stay at home to protect us and others from contagion. Governments take measures that force us to stay “at home” but they choose to ignore that millions of people have no places to live, or live in unsuitable or even unhealthy housing! Furthermore, millions have lost all or part of their income because they have stopped working and have to “stay home” even if they can no longer afford it. Property prices are rising and so are rents. These translate in a rise in profits which shows who benefits from the crisis: the real estate economy, investors and banks. We cannot accept this!

While some have become homeowners via credit in order to have a roof over their heads – always facing the risk of eviction in favour of the banks – tenants are threatened with non-renewal of their leases or rent increases. The threat of eviction still exists despite certain moratoria and homeless people are still being criminalized and forced to live on the streets. The crisis triggered by the pandemic has brought even more housing injustice accumulated with an increase in domestic violence, precarization of the working class and deepening of geopolitical unequal distribution of resources, including medical supplies and vaccines.

The sell-off of community and public resources for the benefit of a few is not a given fact but the consequence of capitalism, an unfettered exploitative economic system and a failure of social housing policies. Together we can change this!

All over the world, people are standing up for the right to decent, affordable, stable and ecological housing and are demanding a fair distribution of resources: we are organising in our neighbourhoods, joining forces to defend the right to the city, blocking evictions, squatting or requisitioning empty buildings, trying to stop the auctioning of our housing stock, demonstrating against expensive housing and speculation, creating alternative forms of habitats by exchanging experiences with people from other cities and countries.

Housing for people – not for profit Profit The positive gain yielded from a company’s activity. Net profit is profit after tax. Distributable profit is the part of the net profit which can be distributed to the shareholders. !

We, the European Action Coalition for the Right to Housing and the City, demand :

1. No profit on our rents, housing and energy and water bills!
Rent decreases across Europe and rent and property prices control for both public and private housing. A renegotiation of mortgage Mortgage A loan made against property collateral. There are two sorts of mortgages:
1) the most common form where the property that the loan is used to purchase is used as the collateral;
2) a broader use of property to guarantee any loan: it is sufficient that the borrower possesses and engages the property as collateral. credits for owner-occupiers. Guaranteed access to ecological energy (heating and electricity) and water for all.

2. An end to evictions and homelessness!
Dignified housing for all, with or without papers, and a legally binding right to housing. No eviction , re-housing! Support to the indebted people and not to the banks : stop auctions and evictions for owner-occupiers.

3. Requisitioning of empty houses and buildings! Alternative housing is a right!
We demand that vacant properties be requisitioned to house homeless and very badly housed people, to host neighbourhood solidarity activities and the legalization of occupation. The cessation of legal proceedings against alternative habitats.

4. We want to decide what happens to our housing and our cities!
A permanent democratic debate on urban planning and housing policies to put an end to speculation and gentrification and the strengthening of the rights for tenants and occupants.

5. Housing and land must be a public good!
We want an important non-profit and social housing sector! We demand an end to land speculation through the socialisation of land ownership and large housing companies.

6. A radical change in urban and territorial policy: for a solidarity-based and ecological urban and territorial development!
7. No EU money for speculators, money for the right to housing!

European policies and funding that do not benefit speculators! EU money must not be used for speculation or gentrification, but only to guarantee the right to housing for all and without profit. Expand public and social housing.

Take part in the european Housing Action Day on 27-28 March 2021

Let’s act together on March 27^th and 28^th wherever we are.

Any form of protest is welcome, avoiding the risk of contagion.

The “European Action Coalition for the Right to Housing and the City” which launches the European Day of Action for Housing is a European network bringing together movements from 23 European countries and more than 30 associations and collectives fighting against the housing crisis in different cities and countries.

CONTACT : eac.communication.coord at gmail.com

For more information: https://housingnotprofit.org/

Housing for people – not for profit !

#HousingActionDay #HAD2021