Local, National and Global Housing Social Movements
and Organisations
An important aspect of new social movements is how they can learn from each other. New social movements borrow from the tactics of past movements and from the innovations of newer movements in the present using the technologies available to them in the information age. We can see examples of this in the occupy movement and the Arab Spring revolutions that happened in the Middle East.
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The tactics of occupying space and rallying support through social media used by the Occupy movement against the financial institutions across the world were adopted by the people who took over Apollo house and AirBnB HQ in order to call the countries attention to the homelessness issue in Dublin City. Likewise, the events that happened in Tunisia around Sidi Boudiz inspired a revolution that existed both online and in the streets across the Middle East. The people of Egypt and Libya saw the success in Tunisia and began documenting government oppression and uploading it to social media. These videos went viral and rallied global support for the revolutions across the region.
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Learning from other movements, organising and spreading information within a movement is much easier in the modern age. ‘Take Back the City’ have been able to organise demonstrations of anti-eviction tactics for people and occupations of properties that lie vacant. These tactics have been important for the movement as well as using traditional methods such as marching demonstrations.
Housing Movement Activist Groups
and Organisations
is a network of 18 grassroots groups working together to take direct action against those who perpetuate the housing crisis.Take back the city was set up in 2015 and have been involved in several protests against landlords in Dublin City Center. The Dublin Central Housing Action is one of the main groups behind the movement.
The main aim of Take back the City is to protest the housing crisis in Dublin and the rest of the Country, by bringing attention to the number of vacant properties in the City(ies). Occupying private buildings that have been empty for several years high-lights how this could help reduce the homeless crisis.
Take back the city hold anti-eviction training to enable tenants know their rights and how they can access help should they find themselves within this situation.
Contact:
The National Homeless and Housing Coalition arose out of a recognised need to come together to demand action to address the homelessness and housing crisis.
categories.
It is made up of various housing action groups and organisations including Help 4 The Homeless Ballyfermot, Peter McVerry Trust, Focus Ireland, Union of Students in Ireland, Dublin Simon Community, Merchants Quay Ireland, Br Kevin Crowley - Capuchin Day Centre, SIPTU, Housing Action Now, SIPTU, Right2Change Trade Unions, Sinn Fein, Anti-Austerity Alliance, People Before Profit, Workers Party, Social Democrats, Young Workers Network, IMPACT, Mandate, Unite, CWU, Opatsi, DCTU, MRCI, Uplift, Pavee Point, Irish Traveller Movement, United Against Racism, Irish Refugee Council, North Dublin Bay Housing Crisis Community and more
The Dublin Tenants Association is a private rented sector
tenant-led peer support group. They believe that decent, affordable and secure housing is a right for everyone.
Tenants are the primary stakeholders in the private rented sector and primary stakeholders in housing policy.
They advocate for proper reforms of the rental sector and together in a collaborative process, break the isolation that tenants often feel and to make their voices heard. Through informing and educating ourselves we can also advance our rights as tenants. They welcome other tenants to join the Dublin Tenents Association at their egular meetings and to participate in the growing tenant community.
The Dublin Tennents Association are not affiliated with any political party or perspective.
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Contact:
Email: dublintenants@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dublintenants
Twitter: @dublintenants
They meet every second Thursday at 7pm in Liberty Hall, Dublin 1
Focus Ireland is a nonprofit organisation based in Dublin, Republic of Ireland that provides services for homeless people and people at risk of homelessness. It is the largest national voluntary association in Ireland. Focus Ireland was founded by Sister Stanislaus Kennedy in 1985.
Contact Focus Ireland
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Tel: 01 881 5900
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Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homeless is an initiative developed by the government of Ireland in 2016 to tackle homelessness.
Contact:
Raise the Roof
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The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing - Leilani Farha - has added her voice to calls from some 50 leading housing experts and academics for a 'radical shift' in housing policy and in support of the Raise the Roof Rally on Wednesday October 3.
In a letter published in the Irish Times they point out that:
"...the current crisis is the manifestation of deep structural problems in housing
policy and the philosophy that underpins it. Unless there is a radical change, we
believe the crisis will simply deepen and worsen."
The letter outlines a range of measures that could be taken to address the crisis and calls for support for the October 3 Raise the Roof rally called by Congress and the opposition party motion on housing that will be debated in the Dail the same day.
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THE HOUSING CRISIS IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERYONE
Most workers now struggle to buy a home of their own as house prices have spiralled beyond the reach of those on low and average incomes.
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Soaring rents have put huge financial strain on workers, students and their families, often paying for poor quality accommodation with little or no security of tenure.
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It is a key issue for women as our rate of female homelessnessis now double that of other EU states and more than 60% of homeless families are headed by lone parents, the majority of whom are women.
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Meanwhile, housing waiting lists grow ever longer and homeless numbers are at record levels. Thousands are now crowded into unsuitable accommodation, with families forced to raise children in hotel rooms and other emergency dwellings.
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Government policy to date has failed to solve the crisis. But on October 3 there is a chance to change course, when an opposition party motion on the crisis is debated in the Dáil.
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The motion demands radical new action on the crisis, including the construction of quality, affordable public housing, preventing people from being evicted into homelessness and enshrining the right to housing in the constitution.
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ICHH was established in 2013 to provide services to people in homeless situations.
They do not receive any government funding and we are 100% volunteer run.
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ICHH offer a 7 day advocacy service assisting homeless individuals and families and educating them on how to navigate through homelessness.
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The ICHH outreach volunteers are on the streets of Dublin city and surrounding areas 7 nights a week. The volunteers leave our office on Amiens St at 11 pm on designated walking routes on both the North side and South side of the city.
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PHONE: 01 888 1804
email: info@ichhdublin.com
Tar Sands Movement
Keystone pipeline is sparking a property rights backlash. The Canadian company that wants to build the keystone XL pipeline is using it's land seizure powers to get property easements for the project. And it's causing frustration in a conservative patch of Texas. Key stone XL is a proposed pipeline that would connect Alberta, Canada with gulf coast refineries that would carry 800,000 barrels per day of Tar Sands oil across the US to be refined, exported and burned. Tar Sands oil has a massive carbon footprint sometimes requiring to produce than it creates. The fight against Keystone XL has been powered by an unprecedented wave of grassroots actions, led by people from all walks of life, in every state in the US and beyond.
Prey lang Community Network is a community network focusing on protecting the forests and landowners from wood and rubber barons who are attempting to destroy their villages and homes for profit. The forest protectors of Prey Lang patrol deep inside the forest to search for damages and illegal logging activities. It is a tough journey, and the PLCN members are taking great risks with dangers lurking everywhere from criminals armed with chainsaws, dangerous animals and the harsh and dense nature of the rain forest.
ICHH are delighted to announce the 4th annual #fillaluas event with our charity partners Transdev/Luas on the Luas platform at Connolly Station.
Fill A Luas asks the public to donate a shoebox of gifts to the homeless at Connolly Luas Stop on
Thurs 6th December 7am – 7pm.
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Every year the event gets bigger and bigger. This year Fill A Luas will be a week’s long event to give people more time to donate a shoebox over the holidays with the aim of collecting more than the record 20,000 shoeboxes!
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Fill A Luas Week will run from Mon 3rd to Fri 7th December. The public can drop shoeboxes to the Luas depots in Red Cow and Broombridge 9am – 5pm.
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All are welcome to the event at Connolly Luas Stop on Thursday 6th December. It’s always a great day and every year we are overwhelmed by the generosity of the public, with donations from all over Ireland.
6th December 2018
Carlow Country Development Partnership CLG are delighted to present the first specific research on homelessness in Carlow. This is such an important issue which really needs a collaborative approach, particularly in the area of women and children and in a county that does not have a women's refuge. We hope to see you all at the launch on Tuesday 4th December @ VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art and The George Bernard Shaw Theatre. Homelessness campaigner Fr Peter Mc Verry will be the key note speaker and what a speaker he is!
4th December 2018
A interactive event to explore Direct Provison including presentations and testimonials and panel discussion by members of MASI – the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland.
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Direct provision has existed in Ireland since 1999. It involves the internment of asylum seekers in centres, often in remote locations, which are managed by for profit companies under the supervision of the http://www.nascireland.org/campaigns-for-change/direct-provision/(RIA), an arm of the Department of Justice and Equality. This daylong event will platform voices with experience of Ireland’s Direct Provision System and is coordinated in collaboration with Asylum Archive. This event responds to the crisis that is Direct Provision in Ireland and is run in connection with a season of exhibitions at VISUAL which explore the theme of "shelter."
4th December 2018
USI are encouraged to take part in the National Student Housing Survey and ask others to engage, sharing the survey through social media and encouraging fellow students to have their voices heard on this vital issue.
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December 2018
01/December 2018
National Homelessness & Housing Coalition Demonstration the National Homeless and Housing Coalition have called a national demonstration on the housing crisis to take place on December 1st at 2pm.
Huge momentum is building and grass roots groups campaigning, providing front line services and advocating for action on the housing crisis.
28th November 2018
2theHearth
Information table Carlow College
St. Patrick's
10-12 am to support the National Homeless & Housing Coalition Demonstration #1stDec
Supported by Carlow College Student Union
15th November 2018
The Insight Project
The IN SIGHT project was founded in 2015 to raise awareness and funds for homelessness in Ireland. Each photograph has been taken by someone who is currently facing, or has recently coped with homelessness, capturing a unique ‘insight’ into that experience. All photos are for sale to raise money for the Dublin Simon Community.
3rd October 2018
Raise the Roof on Oct 3rd
Homes for all
Rally at Leinster House Wednesday Oct 3rd @12:30-2pm
Trade unions, political parties, students’ unions, housing agencies & community and campaign groups have joined forces to demand action on the housing crisis.
Join us on October 3 and make your voice heard.