We believe everyday people have the power to reshape our lives, our city, and our world. Residents who are directly affected by any issue of housing injustice can bring about their own relief, utilizing tools that activists may help them develop under their own dynamic. Successful solutions will be community based, defined by those most affected by injustice.
We do not restrict ourselves to the roles of “service provider” or “advocate”. These alone entail a division between ‘us’ and ‘them’ that we reject. We do not believe in treating people directly affected by housing injustices as victims who cannot speak for themselves. People from all walks of life, especially those harmed by housing injustice, are members and leaders of our organization.
We recognize that housing injustice is a symptom of economic injustice, of Capitalism, and ally ourselves with economic justice movements. We define Capitalism as practices of perpetual growth and individualism, that are essentially exploitative, and do not lead to any sustainable healthy livelihood. (Many defined Capitalism as a “free market” in which everyone has an equal opportunity to compete – we do NOT define it this way.)
We promote and encourage the leadership of women, people of color, the poor, immigrants, and others from oppressed, exploited, and marginalized communities.
Housing and Utilities
All people deserve the dignity of a home. We affirm that housing with basic utilities is a right of all human beings, and not a commodity for profit and speculation.
We believe that there should be no homeless. We support housing alternatives to end the disparity between empty homes and the number of homeless people.
We recognize that environmentally sustainable housing is a necessity.
We oppose the assault on the public housing system, and view its under-funding and privatization as an attempt to discredit and ultimately eliminate it.
Neighborhoods
We define a neighborhood primarily by the people living in it, not the buildings standing in it.
We believe that people, working together in neighborhoods, have the right and the ability to control the decisions and processes that affect their communities.
We believe that positive neighborhood integration by race and class is not only possible, but imperative. It is our shared responsibility to improve the lives of all citizens, instead of defining some as “problem populations” to be displaced by development or gentrification.
All neighborhoods are entitled to political representation at the city level. We reject city governance structures that do not adequately represent historically marginalized communities.
We oppose the ongoing over-investment of public resources into punishment and policing at the expense of services for basic human needs.
1: I am looking for information about fighting foreclosure and eviction in Indiana.
2: Have people explored a Land Trust model for creating “permanent affordable housing”. Google Red Brick Community Land Trust(this can be done less expensively and at a grass roots level)
3: I would like to publish essays about anarchist participation in housing struggles in the Midwest.
Comment by chad frazier — October 20, 2009 @ 1:14 am
[...] Points of Unity [...]
Pingback by We are radical « Columbus Housing Justice — July 11, 2009 @ 9:34 pm
1: I am looking for information about fighting foreclosure and eviction in Indiana.
2: Have people explored a Land Trust model for creating “permanent affordable housing”. Google Red Brick Community Land Trust(this can be done less expensively and at a grass roots level)
3: I would like to publish essays about anarchist participation in housing struggles in the Midwest.
Comment by chad frazier — October 20, 2009 @ 1:14 am