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Latest issue of the Corporate Watch Magazine
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This double issue of the Corporate Watch Magazine is about housing: a story of escalating privatisation and corporate gains at the expense of hard won rights for social housing; a story the intricacies of which are largely unknown. The title has a question mark after 'crisis' because, even though it's a crisis for most people, for housing corporations it's a time for profit-making, as this Magazine issue will hopefully show. |
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Stuart Hodkinson, an activist and housing academic at Leeds University, focuses on the housing crisis and argues that the problems we face can be traced back to the neoliberal assault on our housing system that began in the 1970s and continues unabashed today. Beth Lawrence illustrates the article with some case studies on Arms Length Management Organisations and campaign group Defend Council Housing. |
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Beth Lawrence looks at the role Housing Associations often play in the transfer and privatisation of council housing, with some case studies highlighting the reality of these so-called not-for-profits. |
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Corporate Watch takes a look at some of the main companies profiting from the housing crisis, as well as the lobbyists, think tanks and law firms that facilitate this profit-making. |
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Government statistics are notorious for underplaying the number of rough sleepers in the UK. However, there are at least 3,975 rough sleepers in London, a figure that has risen by 8% in the last year. Numbers of destitute people are likely to increase in the wake of the cuts to benefit entitlement and the criminalisation of squatting. Tom Anderson spotlights some of the organisations in receipt of government funding to support the homeless. |
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On 21 November 2011 the ConDems finally unveiled their so-called ‘Housing Strategy for England’ with the fingerprints of free market think tanks all over it. According to the Coalition, the housing crisis is really the crisis facing aspiring home owners and those who want to move to where new jobs are being created, which is in turn blamed on the state’s stranglehold on house building from the “central planning, top-down targets and bureaucratic structures” of the previous Labour government. |
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From 1 January 2012, a million tenants renting in the private sector reliant on welfare support will be hit by the Coalition's cuts to Housing Benefit, placing many at risk of eviction, displacement and even homelessness. Stuart Hodkinson sets out the policy changes, while a member of Hackney Housing Group reports on why London will be the eviction capital of Britain. |
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A member of the Advisory Service for Squatters (ASS) takes a look at how anti-squat companies are thriving off the increasingly precarious housing situation. |
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In light of the imminent changes to squatting law that have been fast-tracked by the government during October and November 2011, Lucy Finchett-Maddock from the SQUASH campaign (Squatters’ Action for Secure Homes) and a squatter from the ASS (Advisory Service for Squatters) look at how the changes to the law will affect the future of squatting and the right to housing. |
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As the state cuts housing benefits, criminalises squatting, makes social housing more insecure and excludes homeless people from its duty of care; private developers, construction companies and estate agents are profiting from the lack of options available to the majority of people looking for a roof over their heads. There is more need now than ever for viable alternatives; one option is setting up a housing co-op. Tom Anderson and Beth Lawrence outline different types of co-op and look at some case studies.
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Corporate Watch interviewed Hannah Schling, current member of SQUASH (and former member of Corporate Watch), about how the campaign is shaping up in the light of imminent changes to squatting law. |
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The next issue of the Corporate Watch Magazine will be on corporate control of 'social media'. As always, we would welcome your input. If you are interested in contributing an article, commentary or case study, please get in touch by emailing us at contact(at-)corporatewatch.org. |
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