We all deserve a safe place to live and a stable life! BUT There is an #Eviction crisis in the UK right now!
We are worried things will only get worse if we don't take action! If you want to help, sign up for updates here! We have written to the Councils involved and to Mears to communicate our demands - If they fail to meet them, we will take action!
Our demand around the current eviction crisis are as follows:
1. More housing, not less! We want there to be no cuts to temporary housing provision by Newcastle City Council!
2. Solidarity among Local Authorities in the region! We want to see unified action on homelessness across the Local Authorities in the North East region. All Local Authorities should share a responsibility to prevent homelessness in the region and should act in solidarity with each other at this time. We saw this during the COVID-19 lockdowns, so we know it is possible!
3. Priority need means priority need! Gateshead and North Tyneside councils should reverse their decisions to abandon their responsibilities to house refugees with newly granted status. This would bring them in-line with the currently 100% rehousing rate for refugees of Newcastle City Council.
4. No Evictions! For-profit company Mears who have the contract to house asylum seekers in the region should follow the lead of non-profit housing associations Home Group and Your Homes Newcastle by committing to evict no one into homelessness!
Our member Grace on going to court to try to prevent homelessness after years of disrepair and Harassment from her abusive landlord! Ash was forced to wait till the last moment to find out if they had a temporary accommodation place was available: all suitable beds were filled! YET in the proposed budget in Newcastle, funding for temporary accommodation is set to be HALVED! There is no capacity in the system already! We need MORE temporary accommodation, no less!
