ElPapasito Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 A group of highly educated professionals in their 20s and 30s have occupied a large empty University of Oxford building in the centre of Oxford, to run a 4 day conference on all aspects of the housing crisis. House of the Commons is a four day event organised by citizens, activists and housing professionals concerned with the UK housing crisis, specifically focusing on Oxford, but with a UK outlook. The event will be held in Oxford city centre, 9-12th October, and there will be an exciting lineup of speakers, workshops and skill-shares examining the current context and drivers of the crisis with the aim to explore creative solutions to these problems. House of the Commons is intended to be participatory with a focus on self-organisation for practical action at many levels and is open to all people wanting to find out more about our current housing situation and where we could go next. It is timed to offer a counter-narrative to, and promote action against, MIPIM UK, the 1st UK property trade show gathering all professionals looking to close deals in the UK property market, which is taking place the following week. There will be a diverse range of local food and entertainment across the four days so please come along and join in the discussion. http://houseofthecommons.org/ Go along if you can. They have a massive space that Ox Uni has left unused for 4 years. They are in negotiations with police and Uni and it looks like as long as the building is left undamaged no action to evict them will be taken. HPC.co.uk stall anyone? ep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renting til I die Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Excellent move. Anything that highlights the absurdity of the current UK housing situation is worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 (edited) http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIPIM MIPIM stands for Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier according to wikipedia and that doesn't seem that clear from their UK web site. Maybe they're reluctant to broadcast the french foundation. It's an international real estate show. For sure it's possible to see them encouraging and facilitating property sales to overseas buyers ahead of local UK buyers. Edited October 8, 2014 by billybong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renting til I die Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 MIPIM stands for Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier according to wikipedia and that doesn't seem that clear from their UK web site. Maybe they're reluctant to broadcast the french foundation. It's is an international real estate show. For sure it's possible to see them encouraging and facilitating property sales to overseas buyers ahead of local UK buyers. Well spotted! I only looked at the flyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Goggles Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 (edited) More in the Oxford Mail http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11520198.Campaigners_occupy_university_building_to_highlight_Oxford_s_housing_crisis/ Quite a good approach. Get in there, organise an "event" to gain maximum publicity, and then get out before the legal process to evict them can work its way through the bureaucratic process. Obviously inspired by the protests in Newham. We need more of this kind of thing to pull housing up the political agenda. Love the councillor's response: City council leader Bob Price said: “The occupiers are right to highlight the scandal of Oxford’s exorbitantly high house prices and private sector rents – the highest in the country in relation to averge salaries. But it would be a better use of their time and energies if they campaigned with the Labour Party for a radical new approach to housing capital funding through lifting the housing revenue account cap and increasing land availability through changes in the weak planning framework that the coalition has put in place.” Yeah... Or you could break into an empty building, build some local support, get some media attention and actually piss some of the political class off during an election year. Take your pick. Edited October 8, 2014 by Bear Goggles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 ^^^^ Labour caused the 'housing' crisis, new blue Labour are just carrying the torch for a new naive generation. Well done to the Oxford lot for doing something about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 No political party has the guts to do anything proactive to solve the housing shortage and rising prices.....the shortage of acceptable/liveable housing people can buy or rent with an average full-time wage.......if people are encouraged to move to this country because it is good for the economy, housing should be provided for the families they make....... They have the means to do something about it but not the will.....why is that?..........Who is in charge? or don't they care about anyone except themselves, their HPI and rent collection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 God. Labour really are shameless, aren't they. You'd have more chance of getting blood out of a stone than you would a sensible housing policy from labour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fully Detached Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Is there any serious interest in an HPC delegation attending this? I am not a natural debater but if a few others were up for it then I would be very willing to go along and put some agreed HPC views across. My main concern is that the event will get sidetracked into "creative" suggestions for solving the crisis, and end up spending 4 days demonstrating how to build your own flat out of a bunch of old banana boxes. Personally I'd like to go along and bang the drum about credit and government manipulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonsaid Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Send Venger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fully Detached Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Send Venger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Goggles Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 God. Labour really are shameless, aren't they. You'd have more chance of getting blood out of a stone than you would a sensible housing policy from labour. Oxford is a bit of an odd case in that the city council are Labour and the county council are Conservative. So as you can imagine that the city council will propose building some new homes, and county council will start bleating about concreting over the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. The green belt site that is mentioned in the news article is a nasty piece of scrubland backing on to the unfashionable end of town, yet there is no shortage of NIMBY boomers (that wouldn't normally set foot in that part of town) crawling out of the woodwork to campaign to save the countryside. The usual crap. Hopefully this protest will start making the point that the interest of the many is more important than that of the few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Goggles Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Is there any serious interest in an HPC delegation attending this? I am not a natural debater but if a few others were up for it then I would be very willing to go along and put some agreed HPC views across. My main concern is that the event will get sidetracked into "creative" suggestions for solving the crisis, and end up spending 4 days demonstrating how to build your own flat out of a bunch of old banana boxes. Personally I'd like to go along and bang the drum about credit and government manipulation. I might pop in if I get time. Unfortunately I'm away this weekend, but I might be able to get down there for a short time on Friday to check it out and report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Another link clarifying MIPIM and associated organisation's raison d'etre. http:// www.reedmidem.com/Our-Business/Real-Estate-Events/ Reed MIDIM Real Estate events Our portfolio of real estate professional markets includes the world’s leading property trade show, MIPIM, and its sister market, MIPIM Asia, held in Hong Kong, which focuses on the Asia-Pacific region; MIPIM UK, the 1st UK property trade show gathering all professionals looking to close deals in the UK property market and MIPIM Japan, the 1st real estate forum for Japanese and global leaders, joining together property and finance professionals from all asset classes. The MAPIC trade show is dedicated to the retail real estate sector. That particular network seems to like similar names such MIPIM, MIDIC, MAPIC - globally including Asia, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong etc. All in all a massive population outside of the UK and apparently ahead of the UK population in the queue to buy UK property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quad Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I will try to visit, over the weekend have already contacted the organisers to see if they would let me do a speech but they said no space in the program, to give a talk, but on Saturday afternoon, you will be able to put forward a discussion topic in groups if you wish. Any suggestions for a topic. which might open a few eyes. will try to fly the HPC flag at the HotC If anyone goes, parking is not good in the area, and will be monitored by the event organisers. but a park and ride in Botley Road, is probably the nearest., and not too far to walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SE10 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Any suggestions for a topic. which might open a few eyes. will try to fly the HPC flag Top work, how about "causes of high house prices and who actually benefits from them"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybernoid Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 If there are too many messages, nothing will be heard. I would suggest a clear single message, that of "We don't want to borrow more we want decent housing to cost less", and put those costs in terms of salary multiples, identifying clearly how previous generations had it so much easier. I would expect there instead to be many messages, part of which will be a desire to borrow more so houses can be afforded, as though their prices can never drop, and the usual hi jacking by socialists and other groups who don't understand the problem. That anything like this is happening is positive, but I don't expect it to be effective at communicating a coherent message that cannot easily be brushed aside unfortunately. I know this already because the only term in use is 'housing crisis', and that could already mean anything, from lack of lending to the need for 'pods' above shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElPapasito Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 I will try to visit, over the weekend have already contacted the organisers to see if they would let me do a speech but they said no space in the program, to give a talk, but on Saturday afternoon, you will be able to put forward a discussion topic in groups if you wish. Any suggestions for a topic. which might open a few eyes. will try to fly the HPC flag at the HotC If anyone goes, parking is not good in the area, and will be monitored by the event organisers. but a park and ride in Botley Road, is probably the nearest., and not too far to walk. You'll be pushing at an open door. I know some of the organisers and these are very economically literate folk. They are instrumental in a lot of climate activism including the divestment in fossil fuels campaigning and anti BP sponsorship of the Royal Shakespeare Company (BP or not BP) and of the British Museum (Viking Invasion event). UPDATE ON VENUE: The University of Oxford served an injunction and possession order yesterday. The event organisers had to decide on staying on but not being able to hold the event, or leaving voluntarily. They did the latter. Therefore the new venue will be - Methodist Church Corner of Jeune St with Cowley Road OX4 1BN Parking can be found higher up Cowley Road (after to part with shops) on the streets on either side. See you there. EP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric pebble Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 "Causes of high house prices and who actually benefits from them"?: a] - Causes: - LIAR LOANS/Mortgage Fraud a.k.a Pyramid Ponzi Scam - unsustainable "credit" i.e. debt - False "money" = False "prices": + immigration, + lack of new building etc. b] Who actually benefits: - Banksters, property "developers", BTL, shamelss MP's who buy multiple properties with our money.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FallingAwake Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Oxford is a bit of an odd case in that the city council are Labour and the county council are Conservative. So as you can imagine that the city council will propose building some new homes, and county council will start bleating about concreting over the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. The green belt site that is mentioned in the news article is a nasty piece of scrubland backing on to the unfashionable end of town, yet there is no shortage of NIMBY boomers (that wouldn't normally set foot in that part of town) crawling out of the woodwork to campaign to save the countryside. The usual crap. Hopefully this protest will start making the point that the interest of the many is more important than that of the few. Yes. Save the countryside. Start by demolishing the houses of the nimbys that have concreted over the countryside already. That's fair, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Watching a Panorama on 'Workers on the Breadline' - people working who can't get by and a £28b benefits bill (Tax Credits?)... talks about food, utilities, child-minding costs but nowhere a mention of the root cause of all this - housing costs spiralling which feed into everything. The cosmopolitan media who got on the ladder earlier will not talk about this. Heaven knows how this will resolve. Programme was depressing stuff. People working in low-paid, dead-end job needing top-ups. An economy built on spivery and political fixes like housing benefit and tax credits that merely hide the problems. I think we've gone beyond the point where a palatable solution is possible. Our housing bubble is economic suicide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElPapasito Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 Watching a Panorama on 'Workers on the Breadline' - people working who can't get by and a £28b benefits bill (Tax Credits?)... talks about food, utilities, child-minding costs but nowhere a mention of the root cause of all this - housing costs spiralling which feed into everything. The cosmopolitan media who got on the ladder earlier will not talk about this. Heaven knows how this will resolve. Programme was depressing stuff. People working in low-paid, dead-end job needing top-ups. An economy built on spivery and political fixes like housing benefit and tax credits that merely hide the problems. I think we've gone beyond the point where a palatable solution is possible. Our housing bubble is economic suicide. Yep, it truly is a house of cards waiting for one of those spivey political fixes to be a transfer payment too far and tip us over the edge to sovereign default, or perhaps when the spigot of poor relief is turned down a little, there will be riots, and not just looting of Sports Direct this time, but focussed riots that they can't control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Employed Youth Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Lift required from South Yorkshire, if anybody local is planning on going and has a spare seat in their car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Relaxation Suite Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Good luck finding a parking space. I left Oxford six years ago and at the end the council had just about destroyed every last free parking space in the entire city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I'm away this weekend unfortunately, hopefully a cohort can make it along and get a message across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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