03-11-2011, 04:34 AM
Wednesday, 02 November 2011
QUESTION: Is the Occupation of Foreclosed Property useful?
Here's a question for all of you open source warfare/protest theorists. Looking for ideas on how the occupation of foreclosed/abandoned property (from factories to homes) can expand/grow the protest.![[Image: 6a00d83451576d69e2015436946d2d970c-800wi]](http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451576d69e2015436946d2d970c-800wi)
Looking at this as a potential "operational level" weapon for this global open source protest. The equivalent of the IED to the Iraqi insurgency. NOTE: Oakland is ahead of the curve in terms of its level of activity (due to local factors). So it provides some insight into where the movement can/will go.NOTE2: Here's another bit of innovation. Private militias + Occupy in Pheonix.
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Ssupak said...
Perhaps they could recruit homeless people to do these occupations, since living in a foreclosed house would be a big step up for them, even if it doesn't have utilities.
Could be helpfull in fostering community spirit through collective struggle against foreclosures and in the case of occupying factories, setting up community supported cooperatives.
Jordan Peacock said...
Some of this was done in Minneapolis a couple years ago with regards to foreclosures (unsuccessfully, ultimately):
http://www.twincities.indymedia.org/2009...-evictions
http://www.mnprogressiveproject.com/diar...foreclosed
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display...ams-march/
Dale Asberry said...
California CCP §322-25 gives 5 yrs & tax payment to adverse possess property
RanDomino said...
If Occupy is going to get any kind of real ideological footing, it has to undermine the capitalist idea of property. Free homes for everyone- a plausible promise if ever there was one. And just like Occupy's use of consensus and the protest camp model, foreclosure reclamation has been prefigured and practiced extensively in the last decade and is ready for mass application.
OWS Buenos Aires said...
The occupation of foreclosed residences "owned" by banks
is a natural phase change of a movement like OWS in areas heavily affected by the housing crisis after they gather enough participants by demonstrating at public places.
It is key to get the official or extra-official blessing from the mayor. A city mayor that spent 1 million in one day against #OO can as well buy all the houses occupied to spare itself the result of not doing so, or declare #OO occupations untouchable.
Nonetheless foco occupations can be made without any blessing, to start the negotiations.
Mayor Jean Quan is an excellent target to negotiate such political blessings with.
Homeless people would have to be involved in the occupations
of houses to be conceptually sound.
Donated/Rented Private Spaces could be used in combination with actual occupations, serving as safe houses for critical infraestructure/members.
Open spaces as factories can be converted into lofts, keeping with the open atmosphere of the occupations.
Cooperation with Hackerspaces could accelerate the bootstrap of the Factories occupations, focusing on MicroFabrication from the go.
The occupied property can serve as community liaison/integration centers, territorially covering the community.
Actual occupation of foreclosed property would be a first step
to disintermediates the government from the housing and jobs solution. Its a DIY solution. No government/state required.
Squirrel said...
I like this idea, one of the key aspects that is making the occupy movement successful (in my opinion) is the ability for anyone to turn up, get involved and do something to help out. Here in Auckland New Zealand the camp has provided an opportunity for hundreds of people to take on some responsibility eg security, cooking, helping with the GA etc. This is in contrast to most protests which are negative in nature and provide no easy way for new people to get involved with organising.
I think that occupying foreclosed property could be an extension of the participatory nature of the protests and could allow a larger group of people to feel like they are contributing by helping fix and and have people move into homes. The house I squatted for two years became a hub for the community around us and became a model for sustainable urban living.
Squatting homes would also dovetail perfectly with the meme of greedy bankers and would allow a concrete way for people to confront an aspect of the banking system.
However I have no doubts about whether this could take off, I would assume it would work best if squatted houses where grouped geographically to maintain the communal support and organisation which has allowed the occupy movement to succeed. It would also be labour intensive and would require significant buy in from a large number of people.
Matt said...
Interesting thought. Occupy forclosed buildings, houses etc. Utilties are not required, for sanitation use a composting toilet, cooking a rocket stove or similar, water can be carried from local spigots in parks, etc. Very third-worldish. Only solution for the local authorities is to move violently against individual buildings and reduce them one at a time, with trespassing, theft of service, etc as nice charges to keep the protesters locked up a while longer. Worse comes to worse, the buildings burn down depriving OWS places to be, consuming their gear, prviding arson accusations against them and providing insurance cash in the pockets of the banksters.
Yup, should work swell.
gmoke said...
The weekend that Occupy Boston began, there was a national conference of housing advocates in town. The local Vida Urbana/Urban Life organization has been a pioneer in foreclosure blockades as an effective tool against the banks over the last two years and both the national and local housing groups participated in Occupy Boston (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/02...ificance).
Since then, Occupy people have helped with local foreclosure blockades in various communities around Boston. I wouldn't be surprised if these tactics haven't spread around the country.
Not occupations of abandoned housing but a necessary step in that direction.
I would suspect that some municipalities might support "responsible" squatting for structures that have been abandoned by deadbeat banks which refuse to honor their commitment to keep such buildings up. Braddock, PA for example, possibly Detroit.
Comment below or sign in with TypePad FacebookTwitter and more...
QUESTION: Is the Occupation of Foreclosed Property useful?
Here's a question for all of you open source warfare/protest theorists. Looking for ideas on how the occupation of foreclosed/abandoned property (from factories to homes) can expand/grow the protest.
Posted by John Robb on Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 08:04 AM | Permalink
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Comments
Ssupak said...
Perhaps they could recruit homeless people to do these occupations, since living in a foreclosed house would be a big step up for them, even if it doesn't have utilities.
bailey said in reply to Ssupak...
Id say you need to define homeless person. IF you moved into a neighborhood riddled w abandoned homes infested w junkies and bums who are creating problems for the families in the neighborhood, ran these types out,then moved in families who would clean up the place while trying to find work Id say itll go over gangbusters. You'd have the support of the remaining neighbors and as Lind would say the moral high ground. This is how Red and the guys made the Portland Burnside project work, they ran off alot of the habitual problems which scored points w the street cops, city and kept their unauthorized project going. Move more junkies into a neighborhood just so you can say its "occupied" and youll get push back from the remaining residents.
Joske said...Id say you need to define homeless person. IF you moved into a neighborhood riddled w abandoned homes infested w junkies and bums who are creating problems for the families in the neighborhood, ran these types out,then moved in families who would clean up the place while trying to find work Id say itll go over gangbusters. You'd have the support of the remaining neighbors and as Lind would say the moral high ground. This is how Red and the guys made the Portland Burnside project work, they ran off alot of the habitual problems which scored points w the street cops, city and kept their unauthorized project going. Move more junkies into a neighborhood just so you can say its "occupied" and youll get push back from the remaining residents.
Could be helpfull in fostering community spirit through collective struggle against foreclosures and in the case of occupying factories, setting up community supported cooperatives.
Jordan Peacock said...
Some of this was done in Minneapolis a couple years ago with regards to foreclosures (unsuccessfully, ultimately):
http://www.twincities.indymedia.org/2009...-evictions
http://www.mnprogressiveproject.com/diar...foreclosed
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display...ams-march/
Dale Asberry said...
California CCP §322-25 gives 5 yrs & tax payment to adverse possess property
RanDomino said...
If Occupy is going to get any kind of real ideological footing, it has to undermine the capitalist idea of property. Free homes for everyone- a plausible promise if ever there was one. And just like Occupy's use of consensus and the protest camp model, foreclosure reclamation has been prefigured and practiced extensively in the last decade and is ready for mass application.
OWS Buenos Aires said...
The occupation of foreclosed residences "owned" by banks
is a natural phase change of a movement like OWS in areas heavily affected by the housing crisis after they gather enough participants by demonstrating at public places.
It is key to get the official or extra-official blessing from the mayor. A city mayor that spent 1 million in one day against #OO can as well buy all the houses occupied to spare itself the result of not doing so, or declare #OO occupations untouchable.
Nonetheless foco occupations can be made without any blessing, to start the negotiations.
Mayor Jean Quan is an excellent target to negotiate such political blessings with.
Homeless people would have to be involved in the occupations
of houses to be conceptually sound.
Donated/Rented Private Spaces could be used in combination with actual occupations, serving as safe houses for critical infraestructure/members.
Open spaces as factories can be converted into lofts, keeping with the open atmosphere of the occupations.
Cooperation with Hackerspaces could accelerate the bootstrap of the Factories occupations, focusing on MicroFabrication from the go.
The occupied property can serve as community liaison/integration centers, territorially covering the community.
Actual occupation of foreclosed property would be a first step
to disintermediates the government from the housing and jobs solution. Its a DIY solution. No government/state required.
Squirrel said...
I like this idea, one of the key aspects that is making the occupy movement successful (in my opinion) is the ability for anyone to turn up, get involved and do something to help out. Here in Auckland New Zealand the camp has provided an opportunity for hundreds of people to take on some responsibility eg security, cooking, helping with the GA etc. This is in contrast to most protests which are negative in nature and provide no easy way for new people to get involved with organising.
I think that occupying foreclosed property could be an extension of the participatory nature of the protests and could allow a larger group of people to feel like they are contributing by helping fix and and have people move into homes. The house I squatted for two years became a hub for the community around us and became a model for sustainable urban living.
Squatting homes would also dovetail perfectly with the meme of greedy bankers and would allow a concrete way for people to confront an aspect of the banking system.
However I have no doubts about whether this could take off, I would assume it would work best if squatted houses where grouped geographically to maintain the communal support and organisation which has allowed the occupy movement to succeed. It would also be labour intensive and would require significant buy in from a large number of people.
Matt said...
Interesting thought. Occupy forclosed buildings, houses etc. Utilties are not required, for sanitation use a composting toilet, cooking a rocket stove or similar, water can be carried from local spigots in parks, etc. Very third-worldish. Only solution for the local authorities is to move violently against individual buildings and reduce them one at a time, with trespassing, theft of service, etc as nice charges to keep the protesters locked up a while longer. Worse comes to worse, the buildings burn down depriving OWS places to be, consuming their gear, prviding arson accusations against them and providing insurance cash in the pockets of the banksters.
Yup, should work swell.
gmoke said...
The weekend that Occupy Boston began, there was a national conference of housing advocates in town. The local Vida Urbana/Urban Life organization has been a pioneer in foreclosure blockades as an effective tool against the banks over the last two years and both the national and local housing groups participated in Occupy Boston (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/02...ificance).
Since then, Occupy people have helped with local foreclosure blockades in various communities around Boston. I wouldn't be surprised if these tactics haven't spread around the country.
Not occupations of abandoned housing but a necessary step in that direction.
I would suspect that some municipalities might support "responsible" squatting for structures that have been abandoned by deadbeat banks which refuse to honor their commitment to keep such buildings up. Braddock, PA for example, possibly Detroit.
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