Intraurban Squatting in London Author(s): Kevin C. Kearns Reviewed work(s): Source: Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 69, No. 4 (Dec., 1979), pp. 589-598 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of the Association of American Geographers Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2563131 . Accessed: 26/04/2012 16:07 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Taylor & Francis, Ltd. and Association of American Geographers are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Annals of the Association of American Geographers. http://www.jstor.org INTRAURBAN SQUATTING IN LONDON* KEVIN C. KEARNS ABSTRACT. Intraurbansquatting in Western,industrialized society differs sig- nificantlyfrom Third World squatting.As a humanadaptive mechanism for coping withintensified housing stress this variant type involves the occupation,renovation, and reutilizationof existinginner urban buildings.It servesa practicalfunction in urbanecology and conservationand it is increasinglyaccepted by housingauthorities on its economicmerits. Squatting in Britainemerged a decade ago, closelyparallel- ing similarmovements in otherEuropean countries.London, where the squatter populationhas grownto 30,000, has become the quintessentialmodel. Squatting has become a viable, alternativeform of tenurewhich fills a distinctivegap in Lon- don's increasinglyexclusive housing structure.Squats may be typed accordingto theirownership, legal status,and mode of habitation.Large squattercommunities oftenfunction democratically and have enduring,stable social organization.Some squattercommunities are "authorized"and eventuallybecome legal housingcoop- erativeswith permanent tenure status. SQUATTING is most commonlyassociated reutilizationof inner-urbanbuildings is a vari- withdeveloping countries in whichrural to ant type of squattingsymptomatic of urban urbanmigration has led to thecreation of shan- maladies in many large, Westerncities; it is tytown-typesettlements on theurban periphery. found in "most European countries."2Squat- Intraurbansquatting in Westernindustrialized tinghas flourishedin Britain,where London's nations differsin form and functionfrom its squatterpopulation has reached30,000. Squat- Third World counterparts.'Renovation and tinghas come to be regardedas a "significant factorin housingprovision."3 Dr. Kearns is Associate Professor of Geography at Squatting is now well advanced in Great The Universityof Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Denmark, and 80639. The Netherlandsand it is increasingin Sweden and WestGermany. Close communicationlinks * The field research for this study was conducted in London during the summer of 1978. The author have been establishedover the past fiveyears would like to express his gratitude to the following amongvarious European squattercommunities, persons for their kind assistance in the preparation of particularlyBritish, Dutch, and Italian. Squat- this paper: Piers Corbyn, London Squatters Union; ting has spread from London to other large Diana Shelley, Advisory Service for Squatters; Jim citiesin Britainand the totalpopulation is esti- Wintour, Shelter; and Stephen Platt, Squatters Self- Help Housing Resource Library. I am especially in- matedat morethan 50,000. In The Netherlands debted to members of the Huntley Street Squatters squattingcommenced in 1968 and by 1975 Communityfor their confidence and cooperation. therewere squattersin "almost everytown and city" in the country.In Italy, where squatting 1 There is an almost total absence of reliable infor- tends to be more politicized,there are now mation on intraurban squatters. London squatters are highlycautious and skeptical of inquiry because of the squattingorganizations in all the largercities. fragilityof their legal and tenure situation. Most of the communitiesI located were detected in three ways. inspected. A balanced sample was sought in terms of First, throughforays into areas "generally reputed" to squat type, location, population size, longevity, and be squatted; second, with assistance from the London legal status. Communities chosen had been in existence Squatters Union, Advisory Service for Squatters, and from six months to over eight years, allowing for ob- the Squatters Self-Help Housing Resource Library-a servation of the evolutionary process. method particularlyvaluable since these organizations 2 Mark Gimson, Caroline Lwin, and Nick Wates, are staffedwith squatters or exsquatters; and third,by "Squatting: The Fourth Arm of Housing?," Archi- tapping the squatter's "bush telegraph." Of the forty- tecturalDesign, April, 1976, p. 211. nine communities located, eighteen were visited and 3 Gimson, op. cit., footnote 2. ANNALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS Vol. 69, No. 4, December 1979 ? 1979 by the Association of American Geographers. Printed in U.S.A. 589 590 KEVIN C. KEARNS December Squattersin Amsterdam,who numberat least In London abandonmenthas claimed not 8,000, are especiallywell organized. The largest only dilapidatedproperty but also structurally and best knownsquatter community in Europe sound and habitabledwellings. Grandiose gov- is "Christiania" in Copenhagen, with over ernmentredevelopment schemes have meant 1,000 members. depopulationof entireneighborhoods. Budget- The squattingmovement in Britainhas pro- ary problems, constructiondelays, and mis- gressedmore rapidly primarily because thecon- managementof housing stock, particularly nine- ditions which breed squatting are amplified. teenth-centurybuildings, have left abandoned London squattersalso benefitedinitially from propertiesin desuetudefor years. the liberalityof Britishtrespass law. In 1977 Developments in the private rental sector a newCriminal Trespass Law was passed bring- have exacerbated housing stress. Increasingly ingBritish legislation more closelyin line with poor returnson rentedaccommodations have thatof otherEuropean countries,but withno reduced incentivesfor landlords to rent; it is measurableeffect on squatting.It is important oftenmore profitable to vacate buildingsfor re- to notethat squatting is conductedin European developmentor to seek land speculationprofit. countrieswith greatly differing legal, social, and Governmentimprovement grants provide the politicalsystems, testimony to its potentialfor impetus for "gentrification"whereby owners transference. upgradeproperty from densely populated, rela- tivelycheap, flatsto owner-occupiedor more SQUATTING IN LONDON expensive rental accommodations. Between Most large British cities suffera housing 1961 and 1971 London's rentalsector declined shortage but London is measurably worse. by twenty-fourpercent, resulting in thegradual Thirty-fivepercent of the city'shouseholds live exclusion of lower-incomegroups, childless at a densityof morethan 1.5 personsper room, couples, single adults, and young people from compared with 16.1 percent elsewhere in affordablehousing.8 Britain. Only four percent of the country's Contraction of the private rental sector householdshave to sharetheir home; the figure forcedthe government to assume a greaterrole in the capital is twentypercent.4 Many of the in housing.One-quarter of London's population more than 100,000 emptygovernment-owned is now government-housed.But an inequitable houses in London remainunoccupied for five housing allocation system places differential to ten years, yet there are 190,000 homeless constraintson needygroups. Borough authori- familieson housingcouncil waitinglists.5 An- ties forgetheir own housingpolicies and most other51,000 privatelyheld propertiesare un- accept only familieson waitinglists. Childless occupied,one-fifth of whichhave been vacant couples, when approved, are always accorded forat least two years.6The homelessreside in lowestpriority. Young personsand singleadults "temporary"government shelters or withrela- are the mostvictimized. Most housingcouncils tives or friendsunder stressful,often intoler- refuseto even accept applicationfrom anyone able, conditions.7 underage thirty.9 Squattingbegan in London in 1968 with a 4 "Housing Quagmire," The Economist, Jan. 1, series of calculated token squats to appraise 1977, p. 27. public attitudesand testlegal strategy.Authori- 5 "Council Concerns," The Economist, Jan. 1, 1977, ties unsuccessfullyattempted illegal evictions.10 p. 30. 6 Shelter Report on Bed and Breakfast (London: A From inception,the news media played a vital Shelter Publication, 1974), p. 40. role in squattingcampaigns by marshallingpub- 7 In Britain homeless families are officiallyregarded lic sympathybehind squatters. In 1969 housing as "those without a home, however inadequate, that they can call their own." The problems of housing councils startedrelinquishing short-life, empty stressand homelessness are graphically described and fullydocumented in: Ron Bailey, The Homeless and "The Ghosts of Landlords Past," The Economist, the Empty Houses (Harmondsworth, England: Pen- Jan. 1, 1977, p. 30. guin Books, Ltd., 1977); Shelter's Submission to the 9 Jane Morton, "Who'll House the Single?," New Department