The Platforma de Afectadas por la Hipoteca (Platform for People Affected by Foreclosures) is a nonpartisan citizen movement in which people directly affected by foreclosures and evictions, and their allies, organize together to demand the right to secure housing. The PAH carries out actions in many different fields (political, media, judicial, communication, social work, among others) to promote legal changes that prevent the violation of fundamental rights due to foreclosures and evictions. This talk will focus on the rise in evictions and foreclosures in Spanish cities, and how these events have burst the myth of housing security on which the financialization of housing is based. It reports how the PAH has organized affected residents and how a social support system has been put in place. The talk will start with a brief introduction on the context of housing in Spain, explain how the PAH emerged, how it has evolved to focus not only on mortgages but also on rent and occupations, how we organize ourselves, and the achievements of the movement both at the legislative level and empowerment of communities. The talk will also illustrate examples of different campaigns.

An event by Brussels Academy & the Brussels Centre for Urban Studies

The Brussels Academy is an urban and citizen university. It is the meeting place for everyone who is interested in Brussels and wants to know more about the city. Professors and urban experts share and coproduce knowledge on Brussels with civil society. 
http://www.brusselsacademy.be/

The Brussels Centre for Urban Studies, one of the largest centres of its kind in Europe, brings together researchers from across the social sciences, humanities, and engineering. The Centre stimulates collaborative and engaged research projects, offers research and professional training, and supports educational programmes in urban studies. 
https://urbanstudies.brussels