Housing and exorbitant rents have become defining issues our time – casting a shadow over the lives of working class people, but also serving as a flashpoint of struggle and politicisation for the masses. In recent years one of Nijjor Manush’s key campaigns has been the Save Brick Lane campaign and with it the issue of gentrification in the area.

For this session we will be exploring the centrality of Housing and housing campaigning in the development and defence of communities historically in the East End.

We will be looking back on how housing has been secured through the likes of the East End squatters’ movement and earlier tenants organising, and how campaigning around housing can be bound up with broader political fights, such as the struggle against fascism.

Library List

Primary

• From Sylhet to Spitalfields- Shabna Begum (book) (chapter 2).  25% Discount code: LAWPRO (valid until end April)

  This chapter explores the migration of Bengali communities from Sylhet, Bangladesh, to Spitalfields in East London. It focuses on their experiences with housing discrimination, overcrowding, and activism against racist landlords and local authorities. The chapter also highlights the resilience of the community in securing housing rights and better living conditions.

Secondary

• Race Today articles on Bengali Housing Action Group (pg 104/105, 158/159)

  These articles examine the Bengali Housing Action Group (BHAG), a grassroots movement formed in the 1970s to fight against housing discrimination and poor living conditions faced by Bengalis in East London. The articles detail their protests, squatting efforts, and wider struggles against institutional racism in the housing system.

• Our Flag Stays Red, Phil Piratin (book) (chapter 3)

  Phil Piratin, a Communist MP and anti-fascist activist, recounts housing struggles in the 1930s and 1940s, particularly focusing on working-class resistance against exploitative landlords. This chapter connects historical housing struggles with broader political movements for tenants’ rights and social justice.

• Home, Sweet (Squat) Home: Housing struggles in 1970s Tower Hamlets (documentary – 1.5 hours)

  This video documentary delves into the squatting movement in Tower Hamlets during the 1970s. It showcases the direct action taken by communities to secure safe housing and resist evictions, emphasizing the role of solidarity and collective organizing.

• Critical support of renters unions (article)

  This article critically examines the role of renters’ unions in advocating for tenant rights. It discusses the strengths and limitations of these unions, exploring how they support members in eviction cases, rent negotiations, and campaigning for housing justice.

• The right to the city (report)

  This report discusses the concept of “the right to the city,” arguing that urban spaces should be accessible, affordable, and livable for all residents. It critiques the privatisation of housing and public spaces, advocating for community-led urban planning and housing policies.

• Do something (documentary – 27 mins)

  A documentary highlighting various housing struggles and community-led resistance efforts. It showcases grassroots activism and direct action strategies used by people fighting against displacement and gentrification.

Suggested questions 

1. How do the themes or struggles discussed in these readings resonate with your own experiences or observations of housing activism? Have they changed the way you think about these issues?
2. What role did the Bengali community’s experience with housing struggles play in shaping their political activism and solidarity?
   
3. What are the main challenges faced by renters unions in terms of power dynamics, policy influence, and grassroots mobilisation?
   
4. What strategies have been particularly effective for housing activists in advocating for tenants’ rights and against exploitation by landlords?