The Party of European Left stands united with tenants and calls for support of the International Housing Action Day on 23th March 2020.
On the occasion of the approaching International Housing Action Day, Heinz Bierbaum, the President of the European Left, declares:
“Housing is a human right. The increase of prices and rents, the real estate speculation, the eviction of the popular and average strata, the risk of museification of certain districts is a widespread phenomenon. Housing speculation is driving up rents and property prices, which directly leads to poverty, exclusion and homelessness. We stand in solidarity together and demand that our homes and cities must stop being sources of profit. We want to live in decent housing without fear of being evicted as housing is an essential place to any living being: it is our home, not a commodity!
The EL is supporting all those who are looking for alternatives to this system that exploits human beings and nature and is committed to strengthening the initiatives. We call for solidarity with local actions against rising rent prices and the gentrification of major cities and stand in defence of low-cost and quality housing for all. The right to healthy and energy-efficient housing for all must become a priority all over Europe. We believe that social movements are one of central actors in the fight against gentrification. Driven by a strong grassroots social movement Berlin’s state government has asserted its regulatory power to create a city for everyone and to protect the inhabitants form commodification and privatisation of urban space. Berlin agreed to a new rental cap law designed to curb the rocketing costs of housing. It will mean around 1.5 million homes in the capital will have their rents frozen for five years. The movement for fair rent policy and humane urban politics contributed widely to the discussion surrounding nationwide rent caps and the expropriation of property from mammoth housing companies. It’s one of progressive examples of housing policy which could be implemented in other major cities across Europe to protect the people’s right to housing. The European Left stands side by side in protest, resistance, solidarity and with alternatives!”
Information for actions in Europe can be found on the page of the European Action Coalition for the Right to Housing & to the City:
More information on the Berlin’s new rental cap:
https://jacobinmag.com/2020/03/berlin-rent-cap-control-mietendeckel
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