#housingnow

2025年3月、マグニチュード7.7の地震がミャンマー中部を襲った。国内第2の都市マンダレーは壊滅状態に陥った。紛争で既に避難を余儀なくされていた家族のために、建築スタジオ・ブルーテンプルにおける竹建築イニシアチブのハウジング・ナウが建設した26棟の竹製住宅が、震源からわずか15キロの地点に建っていたが、全ての住宅が完全に無傷で残った…

Please stop gaslighting us.

Today, Thursday July 16th at the press conference PHA and Mayor Kenney stated it would be ‘unfair’ for encampment residents to jump the waiting list for housing. The waitlist for low-income housing has been closed since 2013 and those who got on the list have been waiting for eight years or more. PHA has more than 40,000 vacant properties which instead of being converted to low-income housing as per the Philadelphia Housing Authority mandate, are being sold off or just left to rot. The Philadelphia Housing Authority has a history of corruption and has continued to decrease public housing and to sell off public property, turning a profit at the expense of the real people desperately in need of affordable housing in Philadelphia. Instead of opening low-income housing, PHA has built a $45 million headquarters last year. The CEO of PHA, Kelvin Jeremiah pays himself over $300,000 a year. How is that fair?

Prices in the city are going up, low income people are being pushed out. Often pushed out into the streets. When your rent costs over 30% of your income, you are two months from being homeless. During this time, when unemployment is suddenly at an all time high and we are facing health risks unprecedented in our life times, what is the city doing beyond gaslighting the people? Trying to ‘place’ people into shelters or temporary hotels is not a resolution.

Kenney, you say the encampment is ‘unsafe’ and ‘unhealthy’ and ‘unsanitary’. But you only seem concerned with the safety, health and sanitation conditions of the houseless when you can see them in your nice neighborhoods. I just don’t believe you care beyond the image it projects.

Kenney, you say there has been violence at the encampment but where is your concern for the violence on our streets all over the city? My mom taught me safety in numbers, on the streets alone with no housing, anything can happen and no one will care. Gathered together there is safety not available for the individual on the street. The stabbing you keep referring to happened to a resident by a non-resident. Instead of breaking up encampments why don’t you take a look at the gun violence in the city?

Kenny, you say you worry about the health of residents and the risk of Covid spreading. It has been reported that the encampments are Covid breeding grounds; this is a lie. The encampment follows guidelines as much as possible. The proof is in the pudding as they say, our record tells the story. There has been one Covid positive resident and due to our quick response and frequent testing, the spread was stopped. Compare that to Philadelphia homeless shelters where the largest male shelter recently had 50% Covid positive.

Kenny, you say you are concerned about the hygiene of the camp. The parkway encampment is only unsanitary because the city has pressured the port-a-potty company to cancel our contracts. You are using dirty tactics to disrupt and disturb the encampment. You are trying to play all the sides but winning none.

Lastly, every decision made is based on consensus of residents; the encampment is an autonomous zone. That autonomy is grounded in the decision making power of houseless and housing insecure residents. Organizers are not denying residents the ability to talk to city outreach, the encampment is fully directed by residents. Due to a history of abuse and the belief that allowing these organizations into the encampment would be akin to allowing the police free access, residents have banned city workers. The very real history of abuse and neglect is on the side of the city, not the organizers nor the residence nor anyone involved. If you mean to respect the agency of residents then feel free to offer to the residents to talk to you outside the encampment, there is nothing stopping them from coming to you, they just don’t want to.

Residents are safer both from the regular dangers and pandemic danger at encampments. The houseless in our city are people who have often been ignored and forgotten; this is easier to do when they are dispersed and alone.

Sincerely, 

The city is not listening to us and the media is complicit. The homeless encampment on the Philadelphia parkway, named James Talib-Dean (JTD) and the encampment outside PHA headquarters, named Camp Teddy are now being told to vacate by July 17th. How the encampments, the residents, the organizers and volunteers have been portrayed by the media has been perverted by a distorted worldview situated from the safe, stable and posh perspective of city establishment. This distortion is evident in the paternalist attitude taken towards the residents of the encampment. The agency and decision making ability of residents has been called into question; the motives and actions of organizers and volunteers have been called into question. Even our commitment to what we demand has been called into question. Our  list of demands has not changed and we having nothing to negotiate until permanent housing is on the table. The city has refused categorically refused our core demand but the Inquirer reports organizers refuse to negotiate. I also you, why would residents be risking the ire of law enforcement if not for the hope of housing?

Philadelphia has more than 40,000 vacant properties which instead of being converted to low-income housing as per the Philadelphia Housing Authority mandate, are being sold off or just left to rot. The waitlist for low-income housing has been closed since 2013 and those who got on the list have been waiting for eight years or more. The Philadelphia Housing Authority has has a history of corruption and has continued to decrease public housing and to sell off public property, turning a profit at the expense of the real people desperately in need of affordable housing in Philadelphia. Instead of opening low-income housing, PHA has built a $45 million headquarters last year. The CEO of PHA, Kelvin Jeremiah pays himself over $300,000 a year. How is that acceptable?

Prices in the city are going up, low income people are being pushed out. Often pushed out into the streets. When your rent costs over 30% of your income, you are 2 months from being homeless. During this time, when unemployment is suddenly at an all time high and we are facing health risks unprecedented in our life times, what is the city doing?

Affordable housing needs to be guaranteed by the city and the media’s reporting has been detrimental to this cause. The Philadelphia Inquirer portrayal of the homeless encampment has been particularly problematic; starting with an article written early on that completely mischaracterized the actions and motives of all involved. It has been claimed that the residents of the encampment are being used by organizers to send a political message. What that message is exactly is only hinted at but the meaning is to lump us in with other autonomous zones in Seattle and DC. We are here doing something very different but the city would like us to be discredited.

The accusation that organizers have their own agenda not in the best interests of residents is ridiculous. Every decision made is based on consensus of residents; the encampment is an autonomous zone. That autonomy is grounded in the decision making power of houseless and housing insecure residents.

The inquirer reported that organizers and volunteers would not allow city workers to come in and speak to residence. Organizers are not denying residents the ability to talk to city outreach, the encampment is fully directed by residents. Due to a history of abuse and the belief that allowing these organizations into the encampment would be akin to allowing the police free access, the residents are no longer willing to speak to these people. The very real history of abuse and neglect is on the side of the city, not the organizers nor the residence nor anyone involved.

We are being maligned. I strongly encourage media to retract previous statements and attempt to have a thoughtful discussion with residence as equal human beings deserving to be believed and respected.  Why do you assume some city employee knows better than the people on the ground and the people living this every day? Mainstream media reporting on the homeless encampment has no basis in reality or good journalism. We are ready and willing to talk; we are ready and willing to negotiate our demands when the city brings real solutions to the table. It is a pretty simple solution, provide immediate permanent housing.

The options the city provides are unhealthy in a normal world, but we are not in ‘normal’ anymore. Advising the houseless population, and all those who will soon be unable to afford rent, to go to a shelter during a pandemic is an outrageous position to take. Have you ever considered what it is like to live in a shelter? It is the epitome of transience and instability, you cannot have many belongings as they have to be carried with you during the day. There is no social distancing, no stability and no real options; and to me, the worst part is the paternalistic structure and lack of dignity. It has been reported that the encampments are Covid breeding grounds; this is a lie. The encampment follows guidelines as much as possible. The proof is in the pudding as they say, our record tells the story. There has been one Covid positive resident and due to our quick response and frequent testing, the spread was stopped. Compare that to Philadelphia homeless shelters where the largest male shelter recently had 50% Covid positive.

It has been reported that the encampment is unsafe and needs to be broken up. But I ask you: how safe is it living on the street on your own? Would you rather be out there alone, fighting for survival or would you rather be surrounded by people who can offer a measure of safety and support? My mother taught me there is safety in numbers. Residents are safer both from the regular dangers and pandemic danger at encampments. The houseless in our city are people who have often been ignored and forgotten; this is easier to do when they are dispersed and alone.