From Occupation to Liberation-- Occupy Then and Now

Occupy: Then and Now

Occupy Chicago, a movement inspired by Occupy Wall Street in New York, has experienced many changes since its beginnings in late September of 2011.

Since then, over 300 people have been arrested in the name of the in attempts to create a permanent establishment on Michigan and Congress, a location known fondly as 'the Horse.'

Still chanting, 'we are the 99 percent,' a number used to illustrate how power and wealth has been concentrated into the hands of the few, the 1 percent, Occupy Chicago has organized marches, family days and gallery shows, among other actions, throughout the fall and winter months.

The winter drew Occupy Chicago indoors while also leading to the formation of 'area' and 'hood' occupies such as Occupy the Southside, Occupy the Northwest, Occupy el Barrio and Occupy Rogers Park.

The occupy moment has also sparked issue specific occupy movements such as the occupation of Piccolo elementary demanding the halt of public school closings and turnarounds, the occupation of Sirius Windows which halted the overnight dismissal of all the factory's workers and Occupy Our Homes, focusing on foreclosures and evictions.

Those working within the Occupy Our Homes movement, like the already established Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign (CAEC) on the southside and the Communities United Against Foreclosure and Eviction (CUAFE) on the northside, have blocked several evictions and have reclaimed close to ten properties in Chicago.

Despite the dwindling interest in occupying the Horse permanently, home occupations in which bank-owned foreclosed homes are liberated (opened) and rehabed for homeless families or individuals have become a favored focus of many Occupies across the nation.

Take it Back

Shirley Henderson wants to remain her gentle, mild self, but after being evicted in August of 2011, she says, it has been hard to get a handle of her emotions. Confusion, frustration and anger accompanied the foreclosure process, says Henderson, who became homeless after the eviction.

The foreclosure crisis of 2007 and the economic depression of 2008 are still present today, says Henderson. People have been put of work and into the street, she says, “due to no fault of that person but due to the corporations, of the people in charge...raping each and every city and country” in their own interest.

“That does not make any sense,” says Henderson, “there shouldn't be all these vacant home with all these homeless people.”

Henderson now works with CAEC and Occupy Our Homes. It is a way of channeling her emotions she says.

Chicago currently has over 170,00 vacant, foreclosed homes and 93,780 homeless people, that is close to two empty homes per homeless person.

South Chicago's total foreclosure rate is 36.6 percent, compared to the national rate of 1.1 percent according to data collected by Blockshopper. Even more concerning is that the areas just south of 89^th and east of Baltimore have a foreclosure rate of 66.7 percent.

In response to the crisis, a national campaign was launched on December 6^th of 2011 called Homes for the Holidays in which 23 states participated. As part of the Chicago action, Henderson, along with three other single mothers moved into a liberated home on 87^th and Throop on that day.

The home they chose to occupy was a 'walk-away' home, a property whose owners left vacant after being threatened with eviction and foreclosure by the banks who own the property.

“In our neighborhoods, too many people are walking away from their homes because Wall Street banks won’t work with them,” explained Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign volunteer Toussaint Losier. Many others lose their homes due to errors and illegalities committed by the banks to ensure profit from the property.

Beginning with organizing against the redevelopment of Cabrini Green, CAEC members say housing is not a new issue for Chicago but the housing and economic crises has multiplied its impact and the attention it receives.

Justifying their actions by appealing to the 23^rd law listed in the Declaration of Human Rights which guarantees housing as a human right, CAEC's mission is to reclaim housing as belonging to the people instead of becoming a bank's asset through foreclosure.

“The occupation of homes becomes necessary because the government has not shown its commitment to defend the land rights of those who inhabit or have inhabited a space,” says J.R. Fleming, Chairman of the Anti-Eviction. “So society has to basically fend for itself because these institutions are developing them out of their communities.”

The occupation of homes also deters crime, says Losier, by ensuring that home are used to house families and not hide delinquent behavior like drug use and gang activity.

By showing people that there are other possibilities of action when they face eviction, CAEC and CUAFE among others are changing the conversation surrounding housing.

“Its up to the people to save themselves, to take it back” says Fleming. “Take back their homes and take back their communities.”

A Hundred Homes

After a month of serious repair, Henderson now has a place she can call home.

“Its so much better than living in a shelter,” says Henderson. “You know that you can have your door locked and your things safe..Shelters are not decent for people to live in.”

With foreclosure filings up by eight percent nationally since last year and an economic crisis that continues to drive people into un- and under- employment, those focusing on housing and land rights in Chicago.

Despite this, Occupy Our Homes has a goal for the summer: one hundred home liberations, family occupations and eviction preventions. It may sound ambitious, say organizers, but that attitude is necessary when facing a problem that is as deep as it is widespread.

“The only way to combat the problem,” says Henderson, “is for the people...to stand up right now, today and say enough is enough and we will not take it anymore.”