Republic Windows and Doors workers in Chicago showed the way to fight back against plant closings and layoffs. Meanwhile, workers without homes, under the direction of Max Rameau from the Take Back the Land Movement in Miami, are demonstrating how to deal with the housing crisis.
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The idea has sparked support and interest around the country. “With 44 percent of the nation’s 744,000 homeless unsheltered, it’s not surprising that people want to take over homes,” says Michael Stoops, executive director of National Coalition for the Homeless.
“While these banks are getting billions of dollars of bailout money they are allowed to keep these assets, these homes, and they are keeping them vacant,” Rameau said in a recent interview on CNN. “It’s immoral to have vacant houses on one side of the street and homeless people on the other,” Rameau added.
“In the United States and other places in the world, corporations are given priority [when it comes to] property rights; human beings should have rights over and above corporations. These struggles are a practical way to talk about housing as a human right,” Rameau told Liberation.
So far, the city has not sent in the police to evict these families, but the Miami city government has continuously challenged this movement that is fighting for housing as a human right.
In October 2006, the Take Back the Land Movement began a six-month occupation of city land, where a shantytown was built to give 53 people a safe place to live. The city of Miami challenged the 1998 Pottinger decision that provided legal grounds for the Umoja Village. The Pottinger decision states that no criminal charges can be brought against any person who engages in “life-sustaining conduct,” such as sleeping or eating on public property.
But before the battle on the legal front concluded, Umoja Village burned to the ground in a fire in April 2007. Housing activists have continued their struggle—the takeover of foreclosed homes is their latest tactic.
At this moment, Miami officials are stating that the police “don’t have the manpower” to look for occupied homes and that the police only respond to actual complaints by property owners. So far, no complaints have been submitted. Last year, Miami recorded more than 26,000 foreclosures. The waiting list for public housing is four times longer than what is available.
“Progressive organizations around the country can support us by organizing community defense committees to stop evictions of families who have been foreclosed on,” Rameau said.
In Boston, workers at City Life/Vida Urbana, a housing advocacy group, locked themselves arm-in-arm to prevent police from evicting tenants. The group has successfully stopped 13 evictions this year; 10 of them were negotiated with the banks.
“We can also be supported by having takeovers happen in other locations around the country,” added Rameau, who continues organizing homeless families to take over other vacant properties in Miami.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation extends its solidarity and support to all who are challenging the bankers and landlords to make housing a human right.
To contribute to the Miami Take Back the Land Movement, visit takebackatheland.org.
