Displaying items by tag: homelessness

Almost 4,000 people have been evacuated from the slopes of the Fuego volcano after it began erupting on 18 November, with ash and lava spewing from its crater. This comes five months after almost 200 people were buried by volcanic ash and mud during a violent eruption. That eruption generated pyroclastic flows - fast-moving mixtures of very hot gas and volcanic matter - which engulfed whole communities. Volcanologists say that this time, lava is rising 500m above the volcano's crater. The ash cloud towers one kilometre above the 3,763-metre tall volcano. Fuego is one of Latin America's most active volcanoes.

Liberty, a leading human rights group, is urging Nottingham City Council to scrap ‘cruel’ proposals which could criminalise the area’s most vulnerable people. Liberty said the council’s proposed Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) ‘punishes charitable acts in a bid to airbrush their streets’; the proposals would ‘essentially ban homelessness’, in a move which ignores Home Office guidance. PSPOs are drawn up by local councils to prevent anti-social behaviour, deemed detrimental to the area’s quality of life. Nottingham plans to prohibit members of the public from making ‘unauthorised requests’ for money, personal items, or other donations, and would also ban obstruction of building entrances and exits. It could be a criminal offence to give out free items to someone unknown. Those in breach of the PSPO could be fined up to £100, and offenders could be prosecuted if unable to pay.

Five of England’s leading letting agents are discriminating against tenants on housing benefit, a report by Shelter and the National Housing Federation has found. Stephen Tyler, who uses a wheelchair, said he was forced to sleep in his car because of such discrimination. In an undercover investigation carried out by Mystery Shoppers Ltd. 149 regional letting agent branches were called by researchers posing as prospective tenants. One in ten had a branch policy not to let to anyone on housing benefit, regardless of whether they could afford the rent. The worst offender out of the six big brands investigated was Haart, with an outright ban on housing benefit tenants in a third of the branches called (8 out of 25). The research also exposes the uphill struggle faced by housing benefit tenants. Almost half of the letting agents said they had no suitable homes or landlords willing to let to someone on housing benefit.

MP Istvan Bajkai hopes homelessness will become a thing of the past if his proposed law is taken on by the government. Bajkai previously worked as prime minister Viktor Orban’s lawyer. He wants to amend the constitution to ban homeless people from living and sleeping in public spaces. He said sleeping rough shouldn’t be necessary as everyone without a home is guaranteed shelter. Support services, day centres, and night-time accommodation, are widely available. But according to a local NGO, there are 11,000 places available in temporary accommodation for 30,000 people sleeping rough. Critics say many shelters are unsuitable and lack security, and banning the homeless from public spaces would be impossible to enforce. The director of Shelter Foundation said that to solve homelessness, Orban’s government should support the development of cheap rentals in cities or offer financial support to those who cannot afford to live in them.

New Zealanders will elect 120 parliamentarians for its House of Representatives in the general election on 23 September. The Anglican Diocese of Wellington see the housing crisis as ‘a key issue’.  Many can’t afford a home, struggle to pay rent, are forced to pay for a motel or sleep in their car because of the lack of social housing. Children get sick because their home is too damp and cold. Bishop of Wellington, Justin Duckworth is calling the diocese to a period of prayer, reflection and action ahead of the election. ‘As homeowners, renters, landlords, communities and voters we will consider the part each of us can play, and listen to God’s call.’ he said. Throughout August, the diocese is encouraging Anglicans to use reflection, resources and videos of other Christians’ creative responses so that their hearts and lives are opened to respond personally to this crisis. On 27 August churches will hold ‘services of lament’ for people living without stable or adequate housing.

‘A’ woke up to the sounds of someone burning her house down. She grabbed her baby son and escaped. This was one of many hardships she had faced since deciding to leave her tribe’s traditional religion and follow Jesus. Laotians believe Christianity is an American religion. When someone in the community becomes a Christian, the community worries that the spirits they worship will be offended, and that the community might also suffer ill-effects as a result. ‘K’, his wife and daughter were recently evicted from their home by their eldest son. ‘K’ is a Christian leader of a church that he planted years ago after moving to the unreached region as a missionary.  ‘K’s son despises his parents’ faith and drank and used drugs. He demanded his inheritance from his father and said that the house should be his portion.  K and his family now live under a roof in a rice field.

Since its launch last December, Clergy Hosting has attracted eleven clergy to take up the challenge and to offer hospitality to destitute migrants and asylum-seekers. They know through conversations that there are many more clergy and lay people who want to open up their homes and provide this vitally needed welcome. They are hosting an information evening in London on 20 April where clergy who are already hosting guests will be sharing their experiences alongside those being supported by Clergy Housing. People who attend this or any other open evening will learn how the Housing Justice scheme works and be able to ask questions about it.