This weekend, House You is taking action to provide relief during the housing crisis. The grassroots movement is inviting the community to create a village for the unhoused in Mullumbimby this Sunday.
House You says it exists to answer the all-important question: how do we get everybody a house?
Lead organiser Chels Hood Withey said, ‘We believe basic human rights are not for sale and seek to activate a world organised for need, not profit. By uniting the community, building resilient networks, innovating holistic solutions, and collaborating with all levels of government, local, state, and federal; everybody gets a house.’
With the intention of creating a village to house the unhoused, House You is asking people to meet at the Old Mullumbimby Railway Station, Stan Robinson Park, outside the Byron Shire Council offices from 8am, this Sunday November 19.
Activities will include; planting a food forest, exchanging resources, participating in workshops, and innovating solutions.
The vision is to build resilient networks, eat well, heal, and connect with the community.
Organisers say, ‘If you have an offering, bring it. If you need something, tell us!’
You can RSVP to this Sunday’s House You Village, and find out more, at this FB event page.
Petition and forum
House You is also calling on Byron Shire Council to support the community in the housing crisis, with a petition.
They say that by signing and sharing this petition, people can amplify the community’s needs and advocate for housing as a basic human right.
Recently, a diverse cross-section of the community created the following list of needs in the House You Forum:
- Stop persecuting people for living alternatively: unhoused, on the street, on country, in a vehicle, or in a temporary situation.
- Stop moving people on when they respect the earth and each other. We all have a right to live on the earth. The earth is for everyone.
- Stop fining people for living in their vehicles.
- Remove the Restricted No Overnight Parking enforcement in unjustifiable areas.
- Make DAs easier to complete and fairer by subsidising the costs. Fast track tiny homes and multiple occupancies during the housing crisis.
- Locally enforce and support the state policy that all Airbnbs and holiday rentals (short term accommodation) must also have permanent resident(s) living on the property.
- Stop council demolition orders on dwellings that are currently housing people and revaluate the regulations that council has control over.
- Provide land for a Human Wildlife Sanctuary, for people who choose to live proper way as one with nature.
- More effectively broadcast the local services available.
- Fund, resource and support the creation of a village that allows the landless and houseless community access to a shared site with amenities such as a kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, hot shower, healing centre, recreation space and food forest.
House You’s presentation to Byron Shire Council is available to stream here.
