*GATEKEEPING ROADSHOW IS NOW TOURING LONDON*
Posted on | June 7, 2009 | No Comments
Check the gatekeeping roadshow page (above) to find out when the roadshow is visiting your area to challenge the denial of our rights to housing by councils. Get involved - email londoncoalitionagainstpoverty@gmail.com or call 0207 247 6101 for exact times of roadshow dates.
Hackney’s Hostel Residents Speak Out!
Posted on | June 7, 2009 | No Comments
On the 21 of May a delegation of hostel residents demanded that Hackney homeless persons office hear their complaints about the unreasonable delay in processing applications that leaves people stuck living in bad conditions.
In the film shown below three residents explain what they want to see change:
Hackney hostel and temporary accommodation residents are meeting every second Saturday 11am to 1pm at Shakespeare Walk adventure playground, Shakespeare Walk, Stoke Newington N16, childcare and lunch provided, wheelchair accessible venue with accessible toilet. Some off road parking spaces available.
for more information contact londoncoalitionagainstpoverty@gmail.com
Profiting from letting us down: SPEAK OUT AGAINST DUNCAN, LEWIS & CO
Posted on | May 21, 2009 | 3 Comments
On 1pm, Sat 30 May, outside Duncan Lewis (corner Balls Pond Road and Kingsland Road) a speak out was held against Duncan Lewis and Co solicitors.
Duncan Lewis: guilty or not guilty?
Been let down by Duncan Lewis? Know someone who has? Then you’re one of many - Share your story!
Contribute to the blog http://www.dumpduncanlewis.wordpress.com/
The speakout was held because we have heard of too many people who have been let down by Duncan Lewis for it to be a coincidence and we want potential clients to know what they might be letting themselves in for.
Duncan Lewis take Legal Aid contracts for types of cases that community law centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux cannot afford to take. In many cases that we’ve heard about, they seem to manage to do this by cutting corners and letting their clients down. Their cost cutting pays off: last year Duncan Lewis earnt more money for civil cases paid for by legal aid then any other solicitor firm in Britain - they raked in more then 6 million pounds!
In the next few months, the government will award a new round of contracts for legal aid provision. We think it’s really important that people’s bad experiences at Duncan Lewis are publicised so that others don’t make the same mistake and so that the government can no longer claim that the money it allocates for legal aid is enough for a decent service.
Hackney’s Hostel residents take action for housing
Posted on | May 13, 2009 | Comments Off
On the 17 April 2009 some temporary accommodation residents and supporters went to Hackney Council to explain what the word temporary means, as the Council doesn’t seem to understand. Residents explained that temporary means “for a short time’ and not the lengthy periods of months or even years residents have to endure living in crumbling, overcrowded and expensive hostels.
A short film has been made of the action. To get involved in the campaign for housing and respect in Hackney contact londoncoalitionagainstpoverty@gmail.com.
Demonstrate Against Hackney’s Evictions!
Posted on | April 24, 2009 | 2 Comments
When:
2pm Saturday 9 May
Where:
Rally outside 67A Stoke Newington rd N16 - the Hackney temporary accommodation office
Everyone needs a home – but Ahmed Dalvi (Manager of Hackney temporary accommodation services) thinks he can ask the police to carry out illegal evictions, throwing people and their children out of hostels with nowhere to go. In Hackney’s temporary accommodation hostels people get thrown out with little warning. The locks on rooms have been changed while people are out. At other times managers have told people they have to leave – or worse arrive with the police to break down the door.
These evictions are traumatic for the families who are thrown out and affects their children. This is bullying. Some people are made to leave their hostel rooms for as little reason as having a friend over, or going away for a few nights.
Hackney council avoids their duty to house the homeless by using ‘gatekeeping’ tactics. Throwing people out of temporary accommodation is one way they try to avoid housing people. We all need good, secure homes we can afford.
We will demonstrate on Saturday the 9th May to say NO MORE EVICTIONS.
Let Hackney Council and the police know we will not ignore their brutal evictions.
We need to stand together to defend our right to housing.
Contact LCAP for more information.