Star date: 15th October 2015

CHARLOTTE STREET BLOCK DESTINED FOR £250,000 FLATS SQUATTED BY HOMELESS

"By the time we've finished this campaign there won't be anyone on the streets because they'll all have their own building..."

A four storey block in Chinatown has been occupied and opened up as a centre for the city's homeless. The building, at 10 Charlotte Street, is owned by a property developer registered in the Virgin Islands, and is destined to be developed into £250,000 apartments.

"It's clear that the poor are being pushed out of Manchester and it's being facilitated by corporate greed" says the squat's spokesperson, Wesley Hall "There's so many empty buildings in Manchester... and, as it's coming into winter, we need to utilise these buildings and put some intervention and support in place for people who clearly have no support."

Full details here...

It's slap bang in the middle of some of the most expensive real estate in Manchester. 10 Charlotte Street, in Chinatown, is a huge four storey block, with stunning staircases, a marble lift, a deco fireplace and loft style wooden beams to die for. Last Saturday, on World Homeless Day, the building was opened up publicly for the homeless, hopefully to prevent them from dying this winter.

Spread out on each of the meticulously clean floors are tents where people are sleeping in rotas, a makeshift kitchen offering hot food and drinks, a clothes washing area and lots of communal spaces where anyone can play board games with ironic titles like Stay Alive and Up Against Time.

This is a squat but it's more than a mere `squat'. As well as a shelter for homeless people, it's also a positive space where people can visit, to either offer support or just hear the residents' stories. For human rights activist and spokesperson, Wesley Hall, 10 Charlotte Street is a `philosophical lighthouse'...

"We want to build a platform where people can come together from the community; where they can sit and listen and understand homeless people's problems; what underlies their problems and the day to day negative outlook that they're facing" he explains "They're broken down psychologically to a point where they either want to go into prison or they feel suicidal, and we believe that this building is what's needed, as there's a gap in support services. We need places that act as philosophical lighthouses, signposting support.

"There might be someone who comes down to help with benefits and how to fill in forms, or those who work in mental health can sit down and speak to these people without putting them in a box" he adds "When they are going to the Council they're being turned away, even when they're pregnant.

"Throughout the last year Manchester Council, GMP and national Government have all been oppressing homeless people, and we've all been affected by both the Labour Party and the Tories with welfare reform, and all the injunctions that are criminalising homeless people in Manchester for using a tent" says Wesley "We just think that it's inhumane. There's so many empty buildings in Manchester that we feel that, as it's coming into winter, we need to utilise these buildings and put some intervention and support in place for people who clearly have no support."

The do-it-yourself drive to help homeless people from Manchester, Salford and beyond has been relentless since spring, with homeless camps popping up all over Manchester City Centre – with court cases, injunctions and possession orders following closely behind*.

While outdoor homeless camps at Oxford Road are hanging on, under immediate threat of eviction, campaigners are determined to retain 10 Charlotte Street for as long as possible, despite a hearing at the Civil Justice Centre tomorrow (Friday) which could lead to a possession order. Morally, the homelessness activists have a powerful case...

"This building is a great example of gentrification" explains Wesley "We've got an empty building that's been here for ten years doing nothing, owned by a property developer who is registered in the Virgin Islands who's going to develop it into £250,000 apartments. The people of Manchester can't afford those kind of apartments, so it's clear that the poor are being pushed out of Manchester and it's being facilitated by corporate greed.

"We've got people in this area who are not paying taxes; we've got people in this area who are literally profiting from the people of Manchester, and it's like the Council don't want to facilitate anything for the homeless in the city centre" he adds "They're passing it onto smaller councils like Wigan, Salford and Stockport which are having to deal with the problems, whereas Manchester has the core amount of money."

The building itself is stunning and it's being respected. Everywhere you look people are busy sweeping the floors, cleaning up and making it a home. Probably their first indoor home for a long time...

"No-one can say we're damaging the building" says Wesley "We've got a rota, it's running smoothly and everyone's chipping in. I don't judge anyone, but when they come in here they can see that we won't take no nonsense, we don't allow drugs in this building. Every Wednesday we have an art workshop, getting them team building, creative, motivated...because while they are outside and dealing with the elements their mind is numb and they've got that many problems. I believe that creativity in the form of art, photography, media and social media is the way to educate everyone.

"It's our time now because through social media we are in control of the media and we can project what we want out there, right to someone's fingertips" he adds "Everyone's got a smart phone and using Twitter and Facebook we can get right to people's hands and hearts, and get them involved  – everyone's got  a skill they can bring to this. The whole campaign is about breaking down the stigma attached to homelessness. We want everyone to come down, knock on the door and explain how they want to get involved - or we've got loads of ideas of how people can help."

What started out as a march and protest against homelessness last April (see here) has now mushroomed into a movement that is becoming a poignant focal point for the whole of Greater Manchester...

"Councils have a duty of care and we're just educating these people as to what their rights are" Wesley explains "We're going to teach them how to squat their own buildings, so there is no problem with homelessness. By the time we've finished this campaign there won't be anyone on the streets because they'll all have their own building. That's what it's about, education and awareness."

It's also about do-it-yourself help on steroids...Over the door of 10 Charlotte Street hangs a banner which reads `We just want somewhere to live...'

• Charlotte Street desperately need tents and sleeping bags, and computers and phones so that homeless people can interact with agencies to get further support.

For updates see the Facebook sites.... Street Angels UK, Manchester Angels and Love Activists

Twitter: @1withtheplanet

* See also previous Salford Star article - Manchester Metropolitan University to evict homeless - while housing Homeless Film Festival - click here

* UPDATE: 17th October:

Homeless people occupy Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs' Stock Exchange building in Manchester
http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=2961

Photos by Steven Speed