The City is For All
Encyclopedia
The City is For All is a volunteer based grassroots organization operating in Budapest
(Hungary), in which homeless (currently or past) and non-homeless activists work together for housing rights and social justice.
The organization operates as an informal advocacy group. It is an independent group that depends on the volunteer work contribution and financial support of its members. The group represents a wide range of people living in poverty and/or homelessness. The group’s goal is to empower homeless people to stand up for their human dignity and to fight for right to housing. Homeless people play a leading role in all aspects of the group.
from New York, after their visit in Budapest in August, 2009. The workshops were financially supported by the Projects for Peace initiative.
The founding of the organization has been inspired by the Right to the City concept formulated by Henri Lefebvre
and David Harvey
, and the organization is a member of the Hungarian Right to the City alliance.
The group has been involved in an anti-eviction campaign, including civil disobedience against forced evictions.
The group frequently appears in the media in order to change the misconception that homeless people are incapable and hopeless.
This City is For All works together with other grassroots organizations representing the concerns of marginalized and oppressed groups. It cultivates international connections as well, exemplified by participation in the European Social Forum
, in the Social Action Exchange project , in the International Alliance of Inhabitants or a discussion of student and homeless activists with American geographer Neil Smith
and Canadian academic Deborah E. Cowen in 2010. The group participated in the 2009 FEANTSA
conference "Sharing the power - working together: Participation as a tool to solve homelessness" in Copenhagen and in the 2010 University of Barcelona - Associació Prohabitatge - FEANTSA conference "Housing Rights: from Theory to Practice" in Barcelona .
In the June of 2010, the group held a workshop for Slovenian social workers and homeless people on self-organizing at a conference orginazed by Slovenian street newspaper
NGO Kings of the Street.
Two members of the organization observe and participate in the meetings of the Council of Ten, which is the consultative body of homeless service providers in Budapest.
The City is For All also acts as an advocate for homeless people using the shelter system by processing complaints and concerns about social services and forwarding them to the responsible authorities and representing the claimants.
The group continuously organizes outreach sessions in homeless shelters and drop-in centers to make homeless people aware of their rights and to promote their self-determination.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
(Hungary), in which homeless (currently or past) and non-homeless activists work together for housing rights and social justice.
The organization operates as an informal advocacy group. It is an independent group that depends on the volunteer work contribution and financial support of its members. The group represents a wide range of people living in poverty and/or homelessness. The group’s goal is to empower homeless people to stand up for their human dignity and to fight for right to housing. Homeless people play a leading role in all aspects of the group.
History
The organization was formed with homeless and non-homeless participants of a workshop held by Picture The HomelessPicture the Homeless
Picture the Homeless is an American homeless person led rights organization based in the Bronx, New York. It focuses on human rights, housing, against police abuse and other social justice issues.-Profile:...
from New York, after their visit in Budapest in August, 2009. The workshops were financially supported by the Projects for Peace initiative.
The founding of the organization has been inspired by the Right to the City concept formulated by Henri Lefebvre
Henri Lefebvre
Henri Lefebvre was a French sociologist, Marxist intellectual, and philosopher, best known for his work on dialectics, Marxism, everyday life, cities, and space.-Biography:...
and David Harvey
David Harvey
David Harvey is the name of:*David Harvey *David Harvey , geographer and social theorist*David Harvey , American luthier...
, and the organization is a member of the Hungarian Right to the City alliance.
Activities
The City is for All regularly organizes events that contribute to the protection of homeless people’s rights, advocate for their interests, and change the social perception of homeless people.The group has been involved in an anti-eviction campaign, including civil disobedience against forced evictions.
The group frequently appears in the media in order to change the misconception that homeless people are incapable and hopeless.
This City is For All works together with other grassroots organizations representing the concerns of marginalized and oppressed groups. It cultivates international connections as well, exemplified by participation in the European Social Forum
European Social Forum
The European Social Forum is a recurring conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement . In the first few years after it started in 2002 the conference was held every year, but later it became biannual due to difficulties with finding host countries...
, in the Social Action Exchange project , in the International Alliance of Inhabitants or a discussion of student and homeless activists with American geographer Neil Smith
Neil Smith
-Sports:* Neil Smith , former football player in the National Football League* Neil Smith , English cricketer...
and Canadian academic Deborah E. Cowen in 2010. The group participated in the 2009 FEANTSA
FEANTSA
FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless , is the only major European network that focuses exclusively on homelessness at European level and receives financial support from the European Commission for the implementation of its activities...
conference "Sharing the power - working together: Participation as a tool to solve homelessness" in Copenhagen and in the 2010 University of Barcelona - Associació Prohabitatge - FEANTSA conference "Housing Rights: from Theory to Practice" in Barcelona .
In the June of 2010, the group held a workshop for Slovenian social workers and homeless people on self-organizing at a conference orginazed by Slovenian street newspaper
Street newspaper
Street newspapers are newspapers or magazines sold by homeless or poor individuals and produced mainly to support these populations. Most such newspapers primarily provide coverage about homelessness and poverty-related issues, and seek to strengthen social networks within homeless communities...
NGO Kings of the Street.
Two members of the organization observe and participate in the meetings of the Council of Ten, which is the consultative body of homeless service providers in Budapest.
The City is For All also acts as an advocate for homeless people using the shelter system by processing complaints and concerns about social services and forwarding them to the responsible authorities and representing the claimants.
The group continuously organizes outreach sessions in homeless shelters and drop-in centers to make homeless people aware of their rights and to promote their self-determination.
Organizational Structure
The City is For All works in working groups and also has weekly plenary sessions discussing general issues and the reports of the teams. The organization has four working groups.- Housing Working Group: The team works on a housing rights campaign that aims to pressure the authorities to adapt, implement and expand different forms of social and public housing in Hungary. The issue of unused real estate properties in the city is also included in the campaign. These apartments (after legal issues are resolved and volunteers are recruited) could provide residence to those homeless people who live in public space, in shelters or are invisible.
- Social Services Working Group: The team protects and promotes the rights of homeless people in order to receive proper social services and empowers them to participate directly in the decisions that affect them. The team is in contact with the directors of homeless shelters in Budapest.
- Public Space Working Group: The team protects the rights of homeless people who live on and use public spaces. The team provides training and informative brochures about legal issues and operates a mobile, street-corner legal clinic in co-operation with other legal advocacy organizations.
- Media Working Group: The team is responsible for the development and realization of media strategies. The group organizes all media appearances. They publish reports on the work of the organization in Budapest’s homeless newspapers and run a weekly radio program on a non-profit internet radio station.