Black tenants living in inhumane social housing, says leading campaigner
BLACK FAMILIES are living in inhumane and squalid housing conditions across the UK, according to a leading social housing campaigner.
Kwajo Tweneboa, from Mitcham, south London, is a key social housing activist, who has been highlighting the poor housing conditions of some tenants on social media.
Mr Tweneboa says most of the people he has seen so far, are from the black community, who are living in homes with damp, mice infestations and broken ceilings.
Speaking to The Voice, he said: “The majority of the people contacting me are black, either black African or black Caribbean, and some are from other ethnic minorities.
“I’ve had loads of black tenants tell me that they feel they are being left in the situation they are in, because of the colour of their skin.
“They have told me they feel like they are being ignored by their councils and housing associations and they are contacting me is a last resort.”
The 23-year-old’s shocking online videos have gone viral over the last few months and some of his uploads have shown families living with cockroach infestations, damp, leaks and faeces running down walls.
The issue is close to Mr Tweneboa’s heart, as he has also experienced living in severe disrepair – while his father was terminally ill.
In 2108, he lived with mould and damp, cockroaches and mice after moving into a housing association flat on the Eastfields Estate in Mitcham.
According to Mr Tweneboa the conditions were so bad his family couldn’t use their kitchen or bathroom and he was forced to shower at his local gym.
“There is definitely an element of racism and discrimination within social housing, the fact that my dad had to use his British middle name instead of his Ghanaian name, to get taken more seriously on the phone or to feel like he would be, is a huge problem,” he added.
“My dad had to use his British middle name instead of his Ghanaian name, to get taken more seriously on the phone.”
Kwajo Tweneboa
Repairs have been made to Mr Tweneboa’s home but he says he won’t stop exposing housing associations and councils until everyone has a decent home to live in.
According to government statistics, Black households were over- represented in new social housing lettings.
Black African households accounted for 3.8% of new social housing lettings and make up 1.7% of the general population.
For Black Caribbean households, they accounted for 2.4% of new social housing lettings and just 1.2% of the general population.
The campaigner asked his neighbours on his estate about their homes and says he was shocked to discover some tenants have been reporting issues before he was even born.
“Someone on my own estate told me they have been calling the housing association for 27 years, I wasn’t even alive when they first stared reporting the disrepair,” he said.
He added: “People are dying in social housing because of the appalling conditions.
“I willing to argue and take on anyone, anywhere, in order for tenants to live in better housing across the UK.
“I don’t care about what position you are in or how many letters you have after your name, or what government minister you are, the system is broken and I am willing to have the discussions about it to see radical changes.”
Mr Tweneboa is a full time student and has been self-funding his campaigning work.
His advocacy has sparked a national debate around the inhumane conditions of some social housing across Britain.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove recently invited Mr Tweneboa for a meeting to discuss how social housing can be improved.
Mr Tweneboa told The Voice, he went into the meeting with 14 key issues and potential solutions and said Mr Gove was “very open, understanding and empathetic of the situation.”
He said: “He was horrified by my pictures and said a change needs to happen.
“I have been invited back to look at their proposed plans to look through it with him and give my opinions and hopefully find a permanent solution.”
Dragon’s Den star Steven Bartlett, has recently backed Mr Tweneboa’s initiative and donated £10,000 to fund his work.
He says meeting the entrepreneur and TV star has “opened many doors” and he feels “a change is coming.”
He said: “He’s reached out and done that and he didn’t have to, he was able to reach out and relate and I respect him even more for that.
“I’m really appreciative of his support and he has given me such inspiration.”
In January 2020, Mr Tweneboa’s father sadly passed away from oesophageal cancer.
The deteriorating housing conditions and his father’s death had a detrimental impact on his mental health.
He said: “Things were so bad that I didn’t want to be here basically and I was planning to take my own life.”
Mr Tweneboa is urging councils to take complaints seriously because people’s lives are at risk.
“I have met so many people who have said their mental health has deteriorated as their homes have, one of the tenants I met said their mental health is completely destroyed and they don’t want to be here anymore,” he added.
The campaigner told The Voice, he will keep documenting the plight of the tenants up and down the country until there is “real, long-lasting and extensive change.”
He said: “I’m so glad I have been able to change other people’s lives because of my dad’s story.
“I am travelling out of London now and will be visiting other cities, I am also looking for volunteers who want to help out or if anyone has any old camera equipment they want to donate feel free to get in touch.”
He added: “I want to show the young generation, people from the black community and ethnic minorities, you can make changes, and to never underestimate the power of your voice.”
To donate to Kwajo Tweneboa’s GoFundMe, click here
Follow @Kwajohousing on Twitter and Instagram.
