Site icon Inside Croydon

Council evicts 20 homeless people from squat in Reedham

insidecroydon

With the overnight temperatures dropping below zero in the past week, Croydon Council has thrown 22 people out on to the streets, with no alternative accommodation, after serving an eviction notice on people squatting in a council-owned building that had stood empty for 12 years

Reclaim Croydon is now asking for support outside Croydon County Court in Altyre Road this Wednesday, March 19, from 9.30am.

Reclaim Croydon is the same group of anarchist squatters who took over the vacant offices of Brick by Brick on George Street in 2023, until bailiffs smashed in the doors and the group were forced to leave.

Their Autonomous Winter Shelter in Reedham, between Purley and Coulsdon, was opened in November, providing support to rough sleepers in Croydon, “Something which Croydon Council has repeatedly failed to provide”, according to one group member.

Reclaim Croydon squatted the building which was previously a council purpose-built children’s home. It has been vacant since at least 2012.

To date, in less than four months, 33 people have been housed directly off the streets by Reclaim Croydon, while 22 were still living there when the council’s eviction order was served.

No alternative accommodation or solutions to Croydon’s homeless crisis has been offered by the council. It is not known how the council intends to bring the building back into use.

Among the many organisations that have supported and made referrals to the shelter are South Norwood Community Kitchen (which has also acted as a drop-off point for bedding and other donations), Streets Kitchen and Resistance Kitchen.

Read more: Reclaim Croydon’s free bookshop and café closed by bailiffs
Read more: Welcome to the House of Fun! Squatters claim court victory
Read more: Activists provide shelter to 40 people ignored by council

Inside Croydon – If you want real journalism, delivering real news, from a publication that is actually based in the borough, please consider paying for it. Sign up today: click here for more details


Exit mobile version