This is a wide-reaching campaign which aims to build a citizen-led movement around housing in London. It includes strands about affordable housing in the Olympic Park; estate regeneration in Broadwater Farm; affordable housing in the Old Oak and Park Royal development; and tackling rogue landlords in the private rented sector.
The campaign uses community organising methods to build relationships with decision makers and campaign on community goals. We hope it contributes to thousands of extra affordable homes being built, and supports residents to achieve improved housing conditions. It is also helping to empower citizens and communities to be able to campaign on issues which affect their daily lives.
Key milestones in the work so far have included:
- a series of 18 local assemblies involving 4,300 people and 226 member organisations in the run-up to the May 2018 London local elections at which leaders announced new commitments on affordable housing and licensing of the private rented sector;
- an assembly with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, attended by 1,500 Londoners of all ages, in November 2018, which celebrated the Mayor's delivery of manifesto housing commitments, and at which the Mayor announced a new commitment to affordable housing on two Olympic park sites;
- tours of the Olympic Park and Old Oak Common and Park Royal developments with key decision-makers and local communities;
- a meeting between Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, James Murray, and school children affected by poor rented housing conditions.
As well as supporting the work financially, Trust for London is coordinating an Advisory Group of senior London housing experts, and has commissioned an independent evaluation by the Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research to track the initiative’s progress and impact.
Citizens UK is a community organising group which empowers people to push for change on the issues which matter to them. This campaign began in June 2017 and will run until 2021.
If you are an organisation which works on these issues, and are interested in applying for funding, visit our funding page for guidance.
And to see more data about housing in London, look at our London’s Poverty Profile.