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A chairde,

Last Saturday’s Eviction Nation publication launch was an enormous success, with Connolly Books packed out to hear from the project team about their work.

Eviction Nation - and its associated website www.topevictors.ie - offer the first systematic analysis of registered eviction data in the 26 counties, highlighting how evictions are the shared business tactic across landlords both big and small: a mutual strategy motivated by profit, resulting in increased precarity and homelessness.

Through a script developed to scrape data from the Residential Tenancies Board, the research highlights a counter narrative around housing; “for example, that small landlords are our friends - you'll see plenty of evidence to the contrary. Most recorded illegal evictions are carried out by small landlords”.

Small landlords often benefit from tax breaks and positive media coverage, yet they're often some of the most violent when it comes to evictions.

Physical copies of Eviction Nation will be available to purchase online starting from next week.

Huge congrats to the project working group - Fiadh Tubridy, Anushka Dasgupta, Michelle Connolly, Sam Mutter, and Danielle Hynes - as well as to Rudi O’Reilly Meehan, who developed this very fun accompanying game/website - Snakes and Landlords! https://snakesandlandlords.topevictors.ie/ 

The event was excellently facilitated by Aisling Hedderman and last but not least, a big thanks to Connolly Books for providing the space and their ongoing support.

Last week, union members delivered a letter to the recently appointed CEO of the Housing Agency, Martin Whelan, demanding renter consultation on the upcoming report regarding the ending of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ).

Further to this, our RPZ working group will be meeting again on Wednesday, April 9th at 7pm. Members from across the country are encouraged to get involved as these changes will impact tenants everywhere. Meeting link below:

RPZ Group Meeting - April 9th

Relatedly, you can also join the working group’s WhatsApp below:

RPZ Group - WhatsApp Chat

CATU Cork secured another win last week, with fellow member Harry making significant progress in his battle with the landlord and agency at the Adkins Hall development.

Tenants in Adkins Hall have been suffering with damp, mouldy, water damaged housing - and with no meaningful attempts to resolve from either Powell Properties or the building owner, Tom Coughlan.

However, with union support, both parties have now attended to Harry’s home to assess the damage and begin repairs - and have also provided an industrial dehumidifier.

Kudos to the branch and Harry for securing this outcome!

On Saturday in North Strand, Dublin 3, a number of CATU members from across the city supported two neighbours and their families who are facing eviction from vulture fund, Vestry.

Vestry bought more than 1000 second hand homes over the past few years for private rental, and claimed profits of more than €20 million in 2021. We delivered our demands to Vestry's largest shareholder today, Richard Moyles, to express our support for our neighbours facing homelessness, and delivered a letter demanding negotiations between our member and their various agents.

Our Mountjoy-Dorset branch, meanwhile, has launched a ‘Vestry Hotline’ - a dedicated contact number where you can report issues with Vestry - whether you’re facing eviction, currently overholding or know someone who is. The hotline can be contacted at 089-229-5510.

Also last week (it really was a busy one!), union members demonstrated outside City Hall on the evening of Dublin City Council’s monthly meeting to discuss the future of the Tenant in Situ Scheme and declared our demands.

We need real solutions: a properly funded and transparent Tenant in Situ scheme that puts people before profit and keeps them in their homes. 🏠

As it stands, the Tenant in Situ scheme is underfunded, restricted and opaque — it’s pushing people toward homelessness. We’re fighting back.

Have you dealt with, or are currently dealing with the scheme? Please get in touch if so!

In Solidarity,

Naoise Faogáin
National Administrator
Community Action Tenants Union - CATU Ireland
www.catuireland.org