from Instagram
We heard about another totally outrageous eviction looming, so we showed up with a number of other people from like minded groups and stopped the city from booting out two individuals currently residing the grounds of the old Philadelphia Housing Authority headquarters in center city. In case you haven’t been following their scheme, the PHA was in theory created to keep lower economic status Philadelphians in decent houses and in their own neighborhoods. Instead, the PHA uses eminent domain to seize poor people homes, demolish them and either build luxury condos or sell them to developers who do the same thing. Casting poor people out of their homes and destroying communities to let affluent outsiders live tax free in these devastated areas that were once vibrant blocks. The PHA is some other level of vile. So l, some folks that needed a roof over their heads started squatting the old PHA headquarters in rather ironic fashion. There is a big habitable building that is not in use when so many are on the streets, and people desperately need housing. In our version of a “Service Day”, we showed to actually support the people that need it by standing up to the cops, gentrifying cop callers, and city workers who were about to forcibly evict our neighbors. They backed down for now but we will keep calling them out and challenging them-until they open up the thousands and thousands of empty properties that are not even in private hands; the houses owned by the PHA that could be housing our neighbors this very minute. #endtheabatement #stoptheevictions https://whyy.org/articles/housing-activists-stop-rittenhouse-encampment-cleanup-likening-it-to-eviction/
Eviction Defense of Center City Squatters
MayDayFun
Submission
In a time where COVID-19 is sweeping it’s way through workplaces, shelters, and prisons.. wholefoods, amazon, and other large corporations are silencing their workers and trying to think of ways they can capitalize off of this pandemic. Houseless folks are being evicted from encampments regardless of the logical recommendations of the CDC. Prisons are death camps and our friends in cages are making masks in crowded conditions without the privilege to even wear one.
As a gesture of solidarity and an expression of our rage, we drop this banner for those on the inside fighting to get out, for the workers under the boot of the corporate masters at amazon and elsewhere, and the importance of practicing mutual aid. Not just now, but always.
Open squats!
Loot the Wholefoods!
Free the prisoners!
#Mutualaid
bingo
Submission
Figured we should mention some contributions we made toward our bingo card:
Money and letters were sent to some friends that are locked up, ran off with a couple of american flags, a couple more ring cameras were disposed of, helped a friend begin living inside a newly established squat, and a cart full of groceries was expropriated from the amazon overlords. I know that last one isn’t necessarily looting, but I’ve heard that another crew counted something to that effect. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Philly Tenants Union Calls for a City Wide Rent Strike on May 1st
from It’s Going Down
Call from the Philly Tenants Union for a city-wide rent strike starting on May 1st.
On Friday 5/1, thousands of Philadelphians will participate in a rent strike, either in solidarity with other tenants or because they cannot afford to pay rent. Over 1.3 million Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment, meaning 1 in 5 workers in the state are jobless. A recent study found that Pennsylvania’s unemployment trust fund will run out of money in 11 weeks, a timeline far shorter than most other states.
The Philadelphia Tenants Union has published an official call for a citywide rent strike to take place on May 1st. The guidelines for the strike are laid out in an official statement on their website. The guidelines include filling out a form so that the organization can connect tenants with each other who share the same landlord to draft collective demands for reduced or cancelled rents. If landlords refuse to provide relief for tenants who cannot pay, then that is when the tenants officially join the rent strike. It is imperative that the largest Real Estate Firms in Philadelphia – with the most political influence – feel the organized power of their tenants, and Philadelphia Tenants Union is working hard to build those unions.
The strike’s demands are directed towards Pa.’s Governor Tom Wolf, State Senators and State Representatives to:
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Cancel rent and mortgage payments for 6 months, with no debt accrued.
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Enforce rent and mortgage forgiveness for any missed payments dating back to March, 2020.
Demands are also directed towards Philadelphia’s Mayor Kenney and City Council members to:
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Make all evictions, eviction filing, and foreclosures illegal for at least 6 months
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Freeze rent rates at the current level for a year beyond the end of the crisis
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Enforce comprehensive rent control
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Take immediate action to provide housing for the houseless
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Build city-funded public housing that will meet the city’s need
The Philadelphia Tenants Union will also be offering support in three forms. The first is with an “Emergency Anti-Eviction Task Force” that will use legislative methods and direct action to disrupt and prevent evictions. The second is a “Rent Strike Fund” which will provide monetary funds for legal support for collectives of tenants on strike. Thirdly, is “Organizing Support”, providing resources and guidance to tenants as they prepare for May 1st.
The Rent Strike is a preventative measure for combating displacement and potential homelessness in the city and state, and is a direct action to pressure state legislators to provide immediate assistance to the impending economic recession. The official statement and rent strike guide can be found on Philadelphia Tenants Union’s website.
This Is America #114: We Would Prefer Not To
from It’s Going Down
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Welcome, to This Is America, April 18th, 2020.
In this episode, first we talk with people on rent strike in Philadelphia. We discuss how the rent strike came about, the process of getting organized, and so far, how the strike is going.
We then feature an interview from the folks at Perilous Chronicle with an inmate in ICE detention about their participation in a protest and hunger strike against the spread of COVID-19.
Finally, we switch to our discussion where we address Trump’s recent push to “re-open” the economy.
West Philadelphia Tenants Declare Rent Strike
from It’s Going Down
Statement from group of tenants renting from the Constellar Corporation who have declared themselves on rent strike.
A group of tenants in the West Shore neighborhood of West Philly, all renting from Constellar Corp, are initiating a rent strike in response to the current public health and economic crises. Most of us have lost our jobs outright or seen huge reductions in working hours. Meanwhile, we are expected to pay or owe rent on properties managed by Constellar and owned by Hast Investments, owned by a millionaire real estate developer named Guy Laren.
We have attempted to collectively communicate the need for total rent forgiveness to Constellar, and were offered none. To be clear, deferred payment is not going to work for us. We cannot possibly know when we might be able to regain financial security during an ongoing pandemic, and we should not be expected to prioritize rent payments over our other immediate needs such as food and healthcare.
Most of us are rent burdened just like so many Philly tenants, and are unlikely to find employment that would allow us to resume regular rent payments on top of back payments — let alone to a man who once stated, “I buy stuff and figure it out later,” and whose net worth exceeds the cash and assets of all of us combined. It’s time for him to figure out that there is no ethical argument against full rent forgiveness for the duration of this crisis. The financial distress to Laren, Hast Investments, and Constellar Corp does not compare to that faced by poor and working people.
We hope that Laren and Constellar recognize this urgent need to move toward rent forgiveness. We also hope that the city council and state government move in the same direction and implement a moratorium on rent collection.
In making the difficult and stressful decision to go on rent strike, we join others in cities and towns throughout the country and world. We extend solidarity to and draw strength from fellow strikers in New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, Austin, and more, including those whose fight is happening behind bars.
In the hope of avoiding retaliation, the 13 households currently on strike have opted not to sign our names on this open letter. We continue to organize with other tenants of Constellar throughout the city, including commercial tenants, and with other renters in our neighborhood. We’re very excited to coordinate with other renters in the city organizing on their own terms and can be reached through the contact information below. Media inquiries can be addressed to the same contacts.
Solidarity, and spread the strike!
– West Shore Rent Strikers
CCTenants@protonmail.com
tacks
Submission
Following the example of someone in Hickory, North Carolina, tacks were spread around several Philly police station parking lots. Hopefully we have been as successful in flattening their patrol car tires.
News that the cops began disrupting homeless encampments at the Philadelphia Convention Center the morning the Covid-19 stay-at-home order was to be observed provided a catalyst, but it is not the reason. The very existence of the police is a reason to target them. Cops are violent antagonists of the living and enemies of freedom, in collusion with judges, prosecutors, bosses, landlords, and politicians.
We have no demands short of their destruction, and know that such a victory will never be handed to us. We react for now, but look forward to taking the offensive.
Benefit Show!
from Facebook
Trendgender
Kahlil Ali
Cranes are Flying
Gait
Yoshi sun
Doors at 7:30
$5-$10 suggested donation benefitting Occupy PHA and Philly Anarchist Black Cross
[December 13 7:30-11PM at Gilbert’s Shoes 1652 Ridge Ave]
