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The City is For All is a volunteer based grassroots organization operating in Budapest (Hungary), in which homeless (currently or past) and non-homeless activists work together for housing rights and social justice.
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The organization operates as an informal advocacy group. It is an independent group that depends on the volunteer work contribution and financial support of its members. The group represents a wide range of people living in poverty and/or homelessness. The group’s goal is to empower homeless people to stand up for their human dignity and to fight for right to housing. Homeless people play a leading role in all aspects of the group.
History
The organization was formed with homeless and non-homeless participants of a workshop held by Picture The Homeless from New York, after their visit in Budapest in August, 2009. The workshops were financially supported by the Projects for Peace initiative.
The founding of the organization has been inspired by the Right to the City concept formulated by Henri Lefebvre and David Harvey, and the organization is a member of the Hungarian Right to the City alliance.
Activities
The City is for All regularly organizes events that contribute to the protection of homeless people’s rights, advocate for their interests, and change the social perception of homeless people.
The group has been involved in an anti-eviction campaign, including civil disobedience against forced evictions.
The group frequently appears in the media in order to change the misconception that homeless people are incapable and hopeless.
This City is For All works together with other grassroots organizations representing the concerns of marginalized and oppressed groups. It cultivates international connections as well, exemplified by participation in the European Social Forum, in the Social Action Exchange project, in the International Alliance of Inhabitants or a discussion of student and homeless activists with American geographer Neil Smith and Canadian academic Deborah E. Cowen in 2010. The group participated in the 2009 FEANTSA conference "Sharing the power - working together: Participation as a tool to solve homelessness" in Copenhagen and in the 2010 University of Barcelona - Associació Prohabitatge - FEANTSA conference "Housing Rights: from Theory to Practice" in Barcelona.
In the June 2010, the group held a workshop for Slovenian social workers and homeless people on self-organizing at a conference organized by Slovenian street newspaper NGO Kings of the Street.
Two members of the organization observe and participate in the meetings of the Council of Ten, which is the consultative body of homeless service providers in Budapest.
The City is For All also acts as an advocate for homeless people using the shelter system by processing complaints and concerns about social services and forwarding them to the responsible authorities and representing the claimants.
The group continuously organizes outreach sessions in homeless shelters and drop-in centers to make homeless people aware of their rights and to promote their self-determination.
Organizational Structure
The City is For All works in working groups and also has weekly plenary sessions discussing general issues and the reports of the teams. The organization has four working groups.