In May five houses on Summerhill Parade in Dublin were evicted on almost no notice with some 120 people being thrown on the street. All were owned by the same landlord who in order to make super profits had packed people in, 6-8 to a room, charging them 350-450 each per month for space on a bunkbed. Last night, August 7th, as part of a direct action month around housing people marched from the GPO to Summerhill and occupied No 35.[see video]
In May five houses on Summerhill Parade in Dublin were evicted on almost no notice with some 120 people being thrown on the street. All were owned by the same landlord who in order to make super profits had packed people in, 6-8 to a room, charging them 350-450 each per month for space on a bunkbed. Last night, August 7th, as part of a direct action month around housing people marched from the GPO to Summerhill and occupied No 35.[see video]
The occupation is demanding that the five houses “be compulsory purchased by Dublin City Council and given to the local community. We want to highlight that private, vacant properties can, and should be put into public ownership.”
This situation is typical of Dublin where landlord dominated governments ensure tenants have no effective rights and both rents and house prices have risen out of control, far, far above the ability of workers to pay for decent housing. Overcrowded conditions and rents that are still almost impossible to afford have become common for many, many low paid workers and migrant workers in particular are vunerable to being further exploited as they often lack awareness of the weak legal protections that do exist.
Shortly after occupying the buildings teams of housing activists started knocking on the neighbours doors to explain what was going on and to seek their solidarity. The occupation has a Facebook page called Summerhill Occupation where you can read their full statement which concludes;
“We call for people to take action and get involved in the housing movement, a wider demand of homes for all. Those interested in setting up similar occupations, please get in touch with the page.
The housing crisis is not a natural disaster; we do not need to accept that this is simply the way it is. But things won’t get better on their own – action is needed, by people and for people.”