Invitation

Welcome to the website for the International Social Movement Gathering on Water and Affordable Housing, May 29-31, 2015, in Detroit, MI.

We will post all you'll need to know about participating in this social movement discussion and strategy convening for our basic survival needs and rights coming to Detroit in May 2015. (download PDF)

Why the need for this social movement gathering?

Residents in U.S. cities and across the world are under attack as we're systematically being denied the human right to water and housing. International news reports last year that told of nearly 100,000 low income Detroit residents whose water would be shutoff because of their inability to pay. While most of those shutoffs were (temporarily) averted, approximately 10,000 people remain without water at their homes. Adding to this, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept. started more shutoffs beginning in March 2015.

This misery is coupled with nearly 40,000 Detroit homeowners at risk of losing their family homes in tax foreclosures from delinquent bills, many of which have past due water bills attached as tax liens.

We've had enough! We also know that Detroit is not alone in this economic collapse across communities that is determining people's access to the basic needs for survival. For example:

• Residents of Flint, MI cannot drink the contaminated water coming out of their taps and its causing children to get hives and adults to lose their hair;
• Baltimore, MD water customers are being told to brace for mass water shutoffs, along with significantly increasing water rates;
• 5.2 millions homeowners across the U.S. lost their homes in due to bank foreclosures, many of which were fraudulently drafted and processed by mortgage companies and financial institutions.
• Appalachian coal mining communities regularly struggle to access clean water from streams and rivers that have been polluted by mountain top removal explosions;
• Home foreclosures by lenders in Massachusetts increased by 98% in February 2015. 

There are countless more stories. 
We aim to stop this assault and unite to demand our basic needs to survive and thrive.