Beth Stratford

🏠 A foundation for future housing strategy

'Taking Stock', a paper led by IIPP's @stefanhorn.bsky.social & @bethstratford.bsky.social, outlines the foundational analysis and key frameworks of the Homes that Don’t Cost the Earth (#HDCE) project.

✍️ Read the paper here: buff.ly/TWVFHMn

EVENT: 'Housing, Power and Property' 🏠

Join @jemgilbert.bsky.social, @bethstratford.bsky.social, Nick Bano & more for an afternoon symposium on the politics of housing, rent, urban space and tenants' organising

Fri 12th Dec | 1pm | UEL, London (FREE) 👇

🏘️There's huge focus around Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes, and whether they can « build, baby, build ».

But the sheer numbers obscure a more important question: can they do it right?

@bethstratford.bsky.social and @aydindikerdem.bsky.social
give their analysis on our latest episode.👇

Looking foward to speaking at this symposium!

Love these guys

🚨 One week left to apply! We're recruiting an interim Executive Director to lead ECU while our ED is on sabbatical.

If you're an experienced leader with expertise in fundraising, programme management and governance this could be the role for you. 👇

econchange.org/recruitment/...

Therefore, let this missive serve as a CLARION CALL to Rethink, Reform, and Restore! Let not our Fate be sealed by Habit and Inertia! Let us seize the Better Path — for the sake of our People, our Purse, and our Planet.
GOD SAVE ENGLAND AND HER HOMES.

With a more Artful Toolkit, we may alleviate the Sufferings of the People faster and with less Treasury spent — and unshackle our Builders to labour where they are most desperately needed.

Yet — take heart! For all is not lost. Our preliminary Inquiries uncover PROMISING ALTERNATIVES: latent Resources abound within the HOMES we already possess! Wise and well-calibrated Policy may guide the Prices and Distribution of Dwellings without need of Brick upon Brick.

They imperil our OBLIGATIONS to the CLIMATE and to all God's Creatures who dwell upon the Earth. The toils of so many Labourers shall also be drawn away from RETROFIT — that noble and necessary Work by which our present Homes may be restored to health and thriftiness —and from other great Endeavours

The conclusion is inescapable — other Forces, vast and unchecked, do drive these Prices ever upward.
What is more, this mad chase after New-Builds bears grievous Costs to our Blessed Isle’s Air and Soil! Such Endeavours spew FORBIDDEN FUMES into our Heavens and lay Waste to Fields and Forests.

Historical reckonings suggest that even had we summoned the Spirits of Industry to raise 300,000 Houses per annum from 1796 to 1817 (were it possible!), still would Prices have soared by 134 percent, a mere trifle less than the actual 151 percent.

Nor shall House Prices yield much ground. The Office of Budgetary Responsibility, in its learned Prognostications of March in the Year of our Lord 1825, foresees but a 0.8 percent abatement in Prices by 1829, despite Reforms and lavish Subsidies.

Without the Remedy of deeper Reform, this Building Blitz shall soften Rents but little — by scarce a single percentage point! Among the poorest Fifth, tenants of the Private Rented Realm are found to surrender near sixty percent of their meagre Incomes to Rent — a most intolerable tribute!

hath Albion the Manpower and Means to manifest such a Vision?
Alas! Many Learned Men and Sages of the Building Arts declare it doubtful. And should the Herculean Labour succeed, still the Problem shall not be vanquished — for what availeth many new Houses, if the rot at the core remain?

Verily, successive Ministries have proclaimed grand Designs: an unceasing torrent of MARKET-LED NEW CONSTRUCTION, with Promises of 1.5 MILLION new Homes ere the end of this Parliament. And while Investment in the Social and Affordable Sector is rightfully welcome, we must inquire —

(the broadside continued...) Such ills arise not by chance, but from a Housing Order unfit for its Sacred Purpose — namely, to furnish the People of this Realm with Decent and Affordable Homes.

Haha, published a report last week – Taking Stock: a foundation for future housing strategy – and my friend asked ChatGPT to rewrite it in style of an 18th Century broadside. Gotta admit it's quite lolz👇.

Anyway, ICYMI, exec summary is a 10min read here: darkmatterlabs.notion.site/hdce-takings...

Keen to find others working on this intersection of housing justice and environmental justice, please tag folk who might be interested! @jksteinberger.bsky.social @kateraworth.bsky.social @georgemonbiot.bsky.social @meadwaj.bsky.social

@stefanhorn.bsky.social‬
‪@jryancollins.bsky.social‬
@iipp-ucl.bsky.social‬
@darkmatterlabs.org‬

📣Hot off the press!
Taking Stock: A foundation for future housing strategy.

We challenge persistent myths about the housing crisis and highlight ways to meet housing need within environmental limits. First output for 🏠Homes that Don’t Cost the Earth🌍.

Read a 10 min summary: tinyurl.com/mu59kb29

Launching our Homes that don't cost the Earth project online today with Rosie Cade and @bethstratford.bsky.social presenting - get involved here: www.notion.so/darkmatterla...

Currently confirmed speakers:
- Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis.bsky.social)
- Faiza Shaheen (@faizashaheen.bsky.social)
- James Meadway (@meadwaj.bsky.social)
- Asad Rehman (@chilledasad.bsky.social)
- Beth Stratford (@bethstratford.bsky.social)
- Zack Polanski MLA (@zackpolanski.bsky.social)

“Labour…pointed out that the Tony Blair Institute works for the government of Saudi Arabia”

At the end of a slightly terrifying week, where a major financial crisis was averted – for now – I thought I’d reflect on whether such a crisis might happen anyway, and what this means for UK financial sector policy.

A thread.
/1

Take Back Rent Controls | Perspectives Why rent controls are the policy Starmer needs.

🚨 The Government urgently needs policies which:

— 📈 Improve the cost of living
— 💰 Do not cost public money
— 👨‍🏭 Place them on the side of working people

🧵 The answer? Rent controls.

Our latest Perspectives piece by @sachahilhorst.bsky.social 👇

www.common-wealth.org/perspectives...

I wrote a thing about the unreality of the debate on disability benefits, where it comes from and how it affects us. It cost a few spoons to do it, but I think it would have cost more not to. Have a read if you're interested: www.christineberry.net/2025/03/the-...

Gwynedd house prices plunge as council acts on second homes House prices in a Welsh county have fallen by more than 12% year-on-year, according to new figures.

Wouldn't necessarily be a game-changer everywhere, but these policies could make a real difference in many parts of the country:

* 150% council tax premium on second homes
* Planning permission to turn residential homes into 2nd/holiday homes
* House prices fall by 12%
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

German state repression is spiralling out of control. A German climate activist has been banned from becoming a teacher. Here are some justifications from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts—they are completely nuts:
1/7

Interesting research from Xavier Jaravel reveals "a clear and systematic gap in inflation rates across income percentiles, reflecting the varying consumption patterns of households at different income levels". He's made the data publicly available - link from article.
(h/t @chrismwhayes.bsky.social)