Housing

Goodbye Green Space?

Hackney Labour’s election manifesto said that the Council would build 2000 new affordable homes. As the government refuses to pay for this without privatisation, the Council would need to defy the government and provide public housing. But don’t expect that from Hackney Council. They have secret plans of their own. They plan to “infill” estates, selling land to RSLs to build on. So far they have identified 28, but soon nearly all estates will see land sold. Green space will be lost making overcrowded ‘concrete jungles’; on six estates, homes will be demolished. Challenged in the local Labour...

Hands Off My Home

60-year-old Elizabeth Pascoe has won her court battle to stop English Partnership taking a wrecking ball to her home under the Government's 'Pathfinder' housing scheme. She managed to persuade a judge that demolishing the place you live in is an infringement of your human rights. Well yes, you'd...

ALMOwatch

by Tony Osborne, Aspland & Marcon estates The ALMO (Arms Length Management Organisation), set up by Hackney Council to manage its housing stock, and now called Hackney Homes, ‘went live’ in April. It is supposed to deliver central government’s Decent Homes programme, and bring all Hackney Council’s housing up to a standard that is fit to live in by 2010. What a great idea. And not before time, especially if you are among the many residents unlucky enough to live on one of the estates that have been neglected for years and allowed to become run down by the council’s mismanagement. However...

Sheltered housing: cuts through the back door

by Tony Osborne, Aspland & Marcon estates Hanover in Hackney recently announced a pilot scheme at one of its sheltered housing complexes to replace its resident housing officer. Hanover is the housing association to which Hackney Council has contracted the running and staffing of 30 of its sheltered housing homes for the elderly. Its plan calls for the resident post to be closed, and replaced with daily visits and an alarm system. Hanover claims this will enable the elderly to live more independently. However, the plan has raised some opposition from residents, not only at the target complex...

A cautionary tale from the Pembury Estate

by Kevin O’Hanrahan, Boxley House In March 2000, Hackney Council handed ownership of Pembury estate to the Peabody Charitable Trust. The transfer process was hardly an exercise in democracy. Residents were offered two options: a Yes vote for transfer, with the release of funding for estate improvements, or a No vote with no improvements. No third option of self-management, or fourth option of direct investment in council housing in line with Labour Party conference policy, was on offer. Peabody, with Council backing, ploughed a small fortune into the campaign to secure a Yes vote. Leaseholders...

Defend Council Housing

Housing campaigners up and down the country are signing a letter to Tony Blair demanding that the government allows councils to improve their housing without having to privatise it. The letter has been produced by the Defend Council Housing campaign, and you can get a copy from Hackney Socialist Unity.

BNP Bullshit Housing Claim

Copied below is the BNP's absurd claim to have "won" new housing for the residents of Barking.

The BNP is not claiming credit for actually doing anything - like proposing the housing plan or anything like that - simply for getting elected and "therefore" forcing the government's hand.

It is...

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