Terry and Sue Smith have set up a housing co-operative to build homes for the community in Langley. ‘Rochdale is the birthplace of co-operation. We’re channelling that spirit.’
‘Justice gap’ is widening due to legal aid cuts and Covid induced deprivation
The ‘justice gap’ is the increasing divide between people who can and cannot afford to pay for legal representation, due to legal aid cuts. With deprivation increasing due to Covid more people face losing their jobs and homes, due to lack of legal counsel.
Greater Manchester Law Centre campaign volunteer Hoejong Jeong explains the legal barriers raised by the state and the pandemic.
Put people – not profit – at heart of land use, says Liverpool Land Commission
England’s first Land Commission, facilitated by the Manchester-based Centre for Local Economic Strategies, said Liverpool’s leaders should recognise “the true social purpose of land” rather than seeing it just as a “commodity”.
Salford tenants invited to join tenant climate jury
Salix Homes in Salford is inviting social tenants to join a first-of-its-kind tenants’ jury to consider how residents, social landlords and others can tackle climate change.
Are council deals with developers offering best value? Research paper questions development policy and calls for greater transparency
New research paper investigating the sale of public land in Manchester to property developers, questions whether the public are getting value for money in these deals.
Authors highlight lack of available information on development deals and call for a Land Commission. Manchester City Council responds.
Q & A with teacher and union organiser Vik Chechi-Ribiero
Vik Chechi-Ribeiro is a science teacher at a Manchester academy and candidate for the National Education Union’s Executive. The union represents over 450,000 teachers and education staff in the UK. Nick Prescott speaks with him about exams, community organising, and the future of education. The highest growth of COVID-19 cases has been within the North […]
Housing campaigners call university’s treatment of students ‘abhorrent’ and state solidarity with occupying students
Open letter criticises the University of Manchester for its treatment of students involved in an occupation of student residences and a rent strike.
An offer to meet some of the students demands by the university have been rejected by the student activists, who have vowed to continue the protest until demands are met.
Co-living: a new housing model in a broken system
After several months of rejection huge co-living developments are now coming to Manchester. Is it a new form of community living or another extractive product in the city’s ongoing property boom?
With strong links to the city’s financialised student housing sector, is this the type of housing we should be building during Covid-19 and the ongoing housing crisis?
‘We’re a community of ghosts’ – older renters in Hulme speak out
The number of people over the age of 55 living in rented accommodation is increasing. The Meteor visits Hopton Court, a social housing block in Hulme, and speaks with older renters about the challenges and uncertainty they face.
Social housing is key to alleviating the housing crisis, so why are we not building it?
National statistics show that across GM as social housing has fallen, housing waiting lists and temporary accommodation has risen. Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett and author of “Safe as Houses” Stuart Hodkinson give their views on the state of social housing and what needs to be done to improve it. It was the crises of […]