A Manifesto for the Just City

A Manifesto for the Just City
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LEILANI FARHA
THE SHIFT, FOR THE RIGHT TO HOUSING
SUMMARY BY LUZ MARIA VERGARA D’ALENÇON, POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW, TU DELFT
Leilani started with the
question: Who are the
cities for? Cities are and
must be for everyone,
they are the place where
people have access to jobs and
livelihoods, and thus, where
they can survive. Leilani explains
that cities are for everyone
because we need a mix of people
for cities to run, and this mix
gives life, energy and diversity.
However, COVID-19 has exposed
the unsustainable path under
which cities have become generic
places that lack identity, and have
evidenced the existent housing
crisis.
Leilani described this crisis as the
violation of the right to housing.
Housing precariousness, risk
of eviction, and weak tenant
protection are common problems
in cities around the globe. The
speaker explained that both
developed and development
countries have very weak tenure
protections. This implies, for
example, that rents can be
increased dramatically from one
day to the next. Furthermore,
the lack of tenant protection
can lead to eviction and then
to homelessness. In this
regard, Leilani pointed out that
homelessness has increased
despite the increasing wealth
in cities. Under the state of
homelessness, low-income and
deprived groups start getting
pushed out of the city.
Leilani discussed a problematic,
but common asked question:
If they cannot afford to live in
cities, do they have the right to
live in cities? The main problem
is that we have created cities
that are unaffordable for a part
of the population, and then we
suggest they don’t have the
right to live there. In order to
tackle this challenge, the speaker
proposed key principles. First,
cities and government should
put in legislation that they
commit to the recognition of
housing as a fundamental human
right. By committing to the
right to housing, governments
can commit at the same time
to ensure that cities are for
everyone. In this regard, human
rights’ frameworks address
structural inequalities. Second,
the legislation should then stress
that the government must enact
human rights based on a housing
strategy. Third, this strategy
should include measurable
goals and time-line, principles
of non-discrimination, inclusion
and diversity, and the methods
to ensure affordability (on what
households can afford), and
security of tenure. Finally, Leilani
talked about citizen participation.
She mentioned that, if the
opportunities are offered,
citizens are eager to contribute
in deciding the future of the city,
and they often come up with
practical ideas.
Questions from the audience:
- What do you think about
making social housing a public
infrastructure?
Leilani: The question will always
be about management. We need
to disrupt the current thinking
about housing provision (e.g.,
only market can provide or only
the government can provide).
Government provision is
important, but needs to happen
in collaboration with inhabitants.
- What do we do in different
countries in Latin America where
process of speculation and
financialisation are developed
and supported by the State?
Leilani: When speculation is not
directly state sponsored, most
economies have a speculative
nature to real estate. Seems
‘light’ to legislate the right to
housing, but we are suggesting
the disruption of economies. The
starting point is to have housing
as a human right. For example,
Canada 7% of GDP is related to
fees from real estate transactions.
This is an area that is fundamental
to the economies in which we are
working.
- What would be the role of
rural areas? Would they be
marginalised?
Leilani: Ensure people in rural
areas have what they need to
be able to stay where they are.
Figure out a way to ensure that
rural areas have services that they
need. For example, toilet, water,
internet, access to transportation.
- Are there countries that are
doing things well?
Finland: Target to not have
homeless people by 2027. Ahead
of their target.