As ACORN Members have been doing since 1970, our members work on the issues that matter to low and moderate-income families in their communities, homes, and workplaces. Our chapters around the world have been getting out, getting active, getting heard, and winning major victories!
Find out how below!
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ACORN International’s global response to the COVID-19 Pandemic – Mumbai to British Columbia
At the outset of the now-ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, over a dozen chapters, branches, and affiliate organizations of ACORN International issued a global call for the social protection of low-income families and individuals. The collective call urged a global response and for a guarantee of social justice from every national state by cancelling rent debt, protecting renters from eviction, and guaranteeing a minimum crisis income for all families in need.
Across the globe, ACORN International chapters, branches, and affiliate organizations mobilized members for mutual support, health and safety, and member defense.
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ACORN International Directors and Staff Meet in Shepley
From November 4th to 6th the fifty organizers from France, Canada, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States came together in for the annual meeting held at Cliffe House in Shepley, West Yorkshire, England. Another bunch from Kenya, Australia, Liberia, Uganda, India, and Cameroon joined at different times via Zoom, along with other leaders and organizers from France, Canada, England, and the USA who weren’t able to travel.
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A Win for Flood Victims
Members of OnEstEnsemble from the districts of Bepanda petit wouri, Yonyong, Mkepe 1 Missoke, and Maturité mobilized to address the issue of flooding with the Mayor of the City of Douala. Spokespersons from the OnEstEnsemble committees delivered a petition and letter with more than 300 signatures to address the issue of abandonded worksites and concrete debris that caused the flooding. The mobilization brought a small victory with the DECI head of service was ordered by the Mayor to inspect and assess the sites.
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Recognition for Sugar Cane Workers
The Union for seasonal workers in sugar cane plantations in Cameroon has been officially registered which will allow the workers to openly take action to address working conditions!
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Bill 23, Housing Champions, Municipal elections
ACORN calls for scrapping Bill 23 - Doug Ford’s “More Homes Built Faster Act.” Proponents of Bill 23 claim this as a solution to tackle Ontario’s housing crisis in but ACORN highlights the ways the bill both ignores the needs of the most vulnerable and destroys cities’ powers to build and protect affordable housing.
Leading up to Ottawa’s municipal election, ACORN acted to release their new report highlighting the housing voting records of city councilors running for re-election. The report outlined which city councilors stood up for affordable housing or chose to side with developer interests.
In Hamilton, members hosted a 3.3 KM Renoviction Walking Tour to bring attention to the housing crisis during the municipal election! Like other localities across Canada, renoviction and demoviction are destroying Hamilton’s private affordable housing stock and displacing low income and vulnerable renters.
In Toronto, ACORN members held a meet the candidates event to voice and discuss ward constituent concerns about affordable housing, repairs and maintenance not being done by landlords, rent increases, and landlord harassment of tenants.
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Floods, Awareness, and Literacy
ACORN Honduras continued to work around the impact of flooding that occurred in late September. Members and staff out of the San Pedro sula office took action to provide support and relief to residents as well as mitigate some of the damage caused in the state of emergency; recognition was given to a newly installed educational display for breast cancer awareness; and youth literacy workshops were held to assist with reading and writing.
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People's Movements
The Working People’s Coalition, an ACORN partner in India, was represented at the Asia Democracy Assembly 2022 held in Bali, Indonesia. Vinod Shetty, director of ACORN Foundation of India presented, “Forging Ahead: Inspiring Hope through People’s Movements” on the topic of Social Movement to Foster Democracy.
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New website, Eco-unions, Sunshine on Castel group
ReAct Transnational 2.0 is here! The team is delighted to present their new website, complete, up-to-date, and consistent with the strategy.
From Cameroonian peasants fighting against massive land grabbing to residents of industrial apple orchards in France, ReAct Transnational supports the emergence of eco-unions that organize against the ecocidal impact of industrial agriculture.
- In Liberia, Kwamuneh demands the Socfin group end violence against women [VIDEO]
- In France, Vrais Nature Environnement (VNE) organized resistance and sued Toxic apple orchard agribusiness in court [REPORT]
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In October, an exposé by AJ+ media brought the labor practices of the Castel group out of the shadows. Occupying the second place in the beverage market in Africa, the multinational Castel group has around a hundred subsidiaries and a 1.3 billion euros fortune built on the backs of workers, local residents and biodiversity.
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Living Rent
Living Rent joined the Enough is Enough Coalition as they are reminded they need to take matters into their our own hands and fight to have even their most basic needs met.
With the cost of living crisis and after years of tireless organising, door-knocking, meeting with MSPs, staffing street stalls, and making their case to the press, Living Rent has pushed the government into delivering a rent freeze and eviction ban until March 2023!
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In local branches, like Shawlands Langside and Gorgie Dalry, Living Rent members are taking the fight to both developers and city councils pushing for legislation and practice to maintain at least 25% social housing in all developments.
Branches are growing across Scotland and Living Rent is leading the fight against the decimation of public services and demanding that people have a say in how their public space is run and managed.
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CANADA
- Lisa Polewski (October 6, 2022) Tenants rights group says next Hamilton city council needs to do more to stop renovictions. Global News Canada
- Tom Tidgewell (October 7, 2022) Tenant Rights Group says next Hamilton City Council needs to do more to stop renovations – Hamilton. Eminetra
- News (October 7, 2022) ACORN calls on municipal candidates to act on housing crisis. The Peak
- Angela McInnes (October 12, 2022) Advocates lay out how the next city council should tackle London's housing crisis. CBC News
- Martin Bauman (October 17, 2022) Nova Scotia has a fixed-term lease problem Housing, legal advocates say the ‘loophole’ doesn’t exist in some provinces—and it should be closed. The Coast
- Charlie Jaay (October 19, 2022) It’s going to take a lot more than a ban on Section 21 notices to tackle the homelessness crisis. Left Foot Forward
- Michael Smee (October 21, 2022) 'We are tired' of garbage and rodents, Mississauga tenants say. Now management's raising rents. CBC News
- Tyson Fedor (October 29, 2022) Tenant union calls for rental caps and registry again amid soaring housing costs. CTV News Calgary
- Carolyn Kury de Castillo & Demi Knight (October 29, 2022) Calgary rally calls for rent control across Alberta as prices continue to rise. Global News
- Dylan Short (October 29, 2022) Advocacy group calls for province to implement two per cent rent increase cap. Edmunton Journal
UK
Peoples Dispatch (October 03, 2022) British Trade unions and leftist organizations hold massive mobilizations over cost of living crisis. Peoples Dispatch
On Saturday, over 100,000 people joined the protests called by the Enough is Enough Campaign across the country. Protests were also held on Sunday in front of the Tory party conference in Birmingham
England & Wales
- Ellie Smitherman (October 4, 2022) Hundreds turn out to Enough is Enough rally in Brighton. The Argus
- UNKIP (October 5, 2022) Rail Union boss Mick Lynch misses Brighton speech due to train delays. UNKIP247
- James Twomey (October 10, 2022) ‘Cut the crap’: Protesters walk to town hall dressed as poo as tenant’s flat flooded with sewage. South London Press
- Liz Davies (October 10, 2022) A Tidal Wave of Homelessness Is Coming. Tribune
- Liam Geraghty (October 11, 2022) Liz Truss may ‘betray renters’ and shelve manifesto promise to axe no-fault evictions. Big Issue
- Graham Norwood (October 13, 2022) “We’ll train people to resist evictions” says Renters Reform group. Landlord Today
- News Team (October 12, 2022) Plans to ‘shelve’ the abolition of Section 21 – the fall-out continues. Property118.com
- Martin Guttridge-Hewitt (October 14, 2022) Drumming up support in a crisis: Protesters rally to say Enough is Enough. Big Issue North
- Yvonne Deeney (October 20, 2022) Bristol mum forced naked out of home in 'distressing' eviction. Bristol Post
- Tristan Cork (October 25, 2022) Mystery cold spot in woman's house could be solved after six years. Bristol Post
- Rivkah Brown (October 26, 2022) Are Rent Controls Coming to the UK? Novara Media
- Daniel Green (October 30, 2022) Community union accuses council of 'backsliding' on rogue landlords pledge. The Argus
Scotland – Living Rent
- BBC (October 4, 2022) Tenants' relief as rent freeze to be fast-tracked. BBC
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NOVEMBER 2022
