‘This Land Is Our Land’ delves into the UK's housing crisis and offers insight into co-operative housing as a sustainable and cost-effective solution to renting or owning a property. The project centres around Sanford Housing Co-operative and features interviews with some of its residents.
Half a century ago, a group of students and housing activists banded together to address their struggles with city living and the lack of affordable housing. They aimed to create a housing co-operative that would be collectively managed by its members, giving everyone an equal say in decision-making. In 1973, after much hard work and campaigning, they succeeded in their mission.
In a housing co-operative, tenants are responsible for managing their living spaces together, making decisions as a group. Without a landlord seeking to make a profit, rents are both secure and affordable. Given these benefits, why are there only a few hundred housing co-ops in the UK? Could this be a viable solution to the current housing crisis?
The "This Land Is Our Land" project is a collaborative project between photographer Ellie Ramsden and writer Ademola Bello, and was made possible with support from The Photography Foundation.
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Attend the exhibition on March 27th at Photobook Cafe.
