https://issuu.com/londonsociety/docs/17085_-_house_me_london_flyer_-_v12 A new ‘pass-it-on pamphlet’ which seeks to raise awareness of London’s housing crisis and possible solutions has just been launched, which you can read above. 2000 copies of the HOUSE ME LONDON are being distributed to generate public discussion and stimulate a social media campaign around the city’s housing crisis. HOUSE ME LONDON puts forward the case for action alongside three suggestions to begin the discussion. These are (1) reform of London’s Green Belt, (2) a new National Plan, and (3) to Get Government Building by creating an increased role for the public-sector in bringing forward new development. The pamphlet is authored by London Society Trustee Jonathan Manns, Director of Planning at Colliers International, where he leads the London Planning team. He is Honorary Senior Lecturer at UCL and has been variously recognised as one of Britain’s pre-eminent urban planners. He regularly speaks and writes on urban planning issues both in the UK and globally. Manns observes: “Housing has risen up the agenda in recent years to become the most significant issue for those living in the capital. Londoners of all generations now expect the housing situation for future generations. The result is decreasing affordability and rising social inequality. Once the cost of housing is taken into account, 27 per cent of Londoners now live in poverty. The majority of these, 1.2 million people, are in a working family. “London’s housing disaster is the result of a lack of homes but, at its heart, it’s also a crisis of equality and social justice. If there’s one thing we know, however, it’s that when people come together, they can change things for the better. This shareable pamphlet is intended to bring new people into the conversation using new technology. Its purpose is to inspire fresh action to help tackle the housing challenges that our capital faces. If each pamphlet is shared amongst three families there’s scope to bring 15,000 people into the discussion and kick-start something genuinely meaningful.” The #HOUSEMELONDON pamphlet is inspired by the popular BookCrossing project, which currently has almost 12 million registered books left in public places around the world for strangers who then do likewise once they’ve been read. It is clearly marked with the words “Please Read Me & Then Share Me”, with readers encouraged to discuss the content on Twitter using #HOUSEMELONDON.