Hi there,
I’ve put together these resources for the next meeting of our learning group, Oxford Democracy-Builders. It’s at 8pm on Weds 2nd December probably at the West Oxford Primary School, but I need to confirm that. So if you’re about please come along. No need to read anything. No test. It’s just a friendly and welcoming discussion where every single person brings something unique and important.
Housing Crisis learning materials
What’s going on?
House prices: Mind the gap, BBC, 14th October 2015 (video)
Where can I afford to live? BBC Housing Calculator
Youth homelessness figure eight times higher than Government admits, says charity
If you’re a family on the National Living Wage, here’s where you can afford David Cameron’s new starter homes, The Independent, Oct 7th, 2015
Why?
Housing Crisis: Mapping the drivers
Unaffordable housing: causes, consequences, solutions, Institute for Economic Affairs, 12 March 2015
George Osborne’s housing-based revival stands on flawed foundations, Larry Elliott, The Guardian, October 5th, 2015
Buyers from outside Oxford pushing up city property prices, Oxford Mail, 20th February, 2015
The Economist, The Tories’ affordable-housing plan is a middle-class giveaway, Oct 8th, 2015
A ticking time-bomb?
Deutsche Bank: We can already see how London’s insane property bubble will end
Mortgages: Nearly one million ‘face difficulties’
What can we do?
Proposal to build 3.5m homes in 40 UK towns wins the £250,000 Wolfson Prize
An up-and-coming issue at the centre of Edinburgh – The issue relates to the Meadows (a piece of commonly-use land 9a “park) immediately to the south of Edinburgh City centre. Generations of children (including Michele’s and my son) have played there, especially in the summers. The issue is that Edinburgh City Councul is becoming increasingly keen to rentout sections of the Meadows to Festival-style events (which are not free to access) thereby ending or curtailing the Meadows’ “common use”tradition”. Speaking for myself, I think the notion of an “urban commons” is becoming more and more urgent/topical. The issue is, I think, one where “we” (in hopefully-massive numbers can make a difference. I have a sense that 2015 may be the year where the notuin of “revolutionary luncheon parties” might take root.
– Richard Gunn
Thanks for this, Richard
I agree with you about the centrality of thinking in terms of recommoning.
Viva la revolutionary luncheon party!