Jacob S
@peopletrees.bsky.social
Organising, tenant unions, writing, post-capitalism. Bristol, formerly London. My book Renters Unite is an account of the new wave of tenant organising around the world. No access to DMs. https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745350011/renters-unite/
Pinned
Jacob S
@peopletrees.bsky.social
· Aug 19
Renters Unite
As housing crises proliferate around the world, so does the fightback. A new generation of tenants' unions are rising up to demand good, affordable housing f...
www.plutobooks.com
Why tenant unions? Why now? Find out in my new book, Renters Unite! 'A brilliant and inspiring analysis of the causes and possible solutions to one of the central issues facing people around the world today: the problem of housing' - Jeremy Gilbert
An interview with The Left Berlin, in which I explain that 'selling off social housing' isn't an adequate explanation of what we call housing crisis www.theleftberlin.com/housing-rent...
“The reason the housing crisis continues is because there are people benefitting from it”
Interview with Jacob Stringer, author of “Renters Unite”
www.theleftberlin.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:23 AM
An interview with The Left Berlin, in which I explain that 'selling off social housing' isn't an adequate explanation of what we call housing crisis www.theleftberlin.com/housing-rent...
I'll be there talking about tenant unions and building power. Come and join us!
Housing, Power and Property - event at UEL, December 12th
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/housing-po...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/housing-po...
Housing, Power and Property
A symposium on the politics of housing, rent, urban space and tenants' organising
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I'll be there talking about tenant unions and building power. Come and join us!
I'm sorry but sortition is a perfectly good democratic mechanism. Most of those who hate it in yourparty seem to be the trots and leninists who live and breath factionalism, and they are not the base for a mass party, not even close. You can still organise with sortition, but you need a broad base.
November 10, 2025 at 10:09 AM
I'm sorry but sortition is a perfectly good democratic mechanism. Most of those who hate it in yourparty seem to be the trots and leninists who live and breath factionalism, and they are not the base for a mass party, not even close. You can still organise with sortition, but you need a broad base.
I'm glad an FT writer has finally said what I've been saying for a while: incurring new debt for social housing would not lower confidence in the government, because it's such a clearly good use of money, and the money will always come back in rent. You could issue a specific 'housing bond' perhaps.
Agree with his argument on council housing and government borrowing - but isn’t it a bit Old Labour in his terms (not a bad thing)?
November 10, 2025 at 9:24 AM
I'm glad an FT writer has finally said what I've been saying for a while: incurring new debt for social housing would not lower confidence in the government, because it's such a clearly good use of money, and the money will always come back in rent. You could issue a specific 'housing bond' perhaps.
Pathetic government. It squanders the opportunity to upgrade the country while battering the migrants who would help us do it.
Govt scraps all electrification investment. Midland Main Line to stay forever diesel Leicester Nottingham Derby Sheffield. Hugely embarrassing and inexplicable
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’
Heidi Alexander says focus will be on other projects such as HS2
www.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Pathetic government. It squanders the opportunity to upgrade the country while battering the migrants who would help us do it.
Londoners, I'll be at this housing symposium organised by Jeremy Gilbert on 12th December - do join us! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/housing-po...
Housing, Power and Property
A symposium on the politics of housing, rent, urban space and tenants' organising
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Londoners, I'll be at this housing symposium organised by Jeremy Gilbert on 12th December - do join us! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/housing-po...
Brutal on both communists and the over 30s.
Fact-Checking Claims About Zohran Mamdani https://theonion.com/fact-checking-claims-about-zohran-mamdani/
November 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Brutal on both communists and the over 30s.
The neoliberal Western countries deciding to have almost zero industrial strategy just as China's decades of industrial strategy peaked is going to be one of those things taught in textbooks. Mostly Chinese textbooks though because Western economists will never admit they were wrong.
The US is the world's largest oil and gas producer. Yet, "China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels."
China’s clean-energy revolution will reshape markets and politics
The world’s biggest manufacturer now has an interest in the world decarbonising
www.economist.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:50 AM
The neoliberal Western countries deciding to have almost zero industrial strategy just as China's decades of industrial strategy peaked is going to be one of those things taught in textbooks. Mostly Chinese textbooks though because Western economists will never admit they were wrong.
But what if carnivorous death ball likes the taste of fascists? Now would be the perfect moment.
November 7, 2025 at 7:47 AM
But what if carnivorous death ball likes the taste of fascists? Now would be the perfect moment.
Reposted by Jacob S
In the midst of horrific mass killings and violence, British-made military equipment has been found in Sudan.
It's clear our arms export licensing system is not fit for purpose; we need a full review, alongside an embargo on all arms exports to the UAE now.
It's clear our arms export licensing system is not fit for purpose; we need a full review, alongside an embargo on all arms exports to the UAE now.
November 5, 2025 at 2:14 PM
In the midst of horrific mass killings and violence, British-made military equipment has been found in Sudan.
It's clear our arms export licensing system is not fit for purpose; we need a full review, alongside an embargo on all arms exports to the UAE now.
It's clear our arms export licensing system is not fit for purpose; we need a full review, alongside an embargo on all arms exports to the UAE now.
I've never before quoted a centrist dad so approvingly. Unfortunately Labour are cowards so will not challenge Musk even by moving accounts, let alone regulating algorithms as they should be.
X is designed to radicalise people.
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM
I've never before quoted a centrist dad so approvingly. Unfortunately Labour are cowards so will not challenge Musk even by moving accounts, let alone regulating algorithms as they should be.
This is a great book for all people who've been part of a protest and then talked about as a mindless mob in the papers the next day. 'Wait,' you think. 'I was there and my mind was still working.' Yet the establishment does this over and over and it turns out it has a long history.
🟡 MULTITUDES: How Crowds Made the Modern World is out in paperback from @versobooks.bsky.social today 🟡 www.versobooks.com/en-gb/produc...
November 4, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This is a great book for all people who've been part of a protest and then talked about as a mindless mob in the papers the next day. 'Wait,' you think. 'I was there and my mind was still working.' Yet the establishment does this over and over and it turns out it has a long history.
Including for the people who aren't your friends! I lived in large housing co-op for a while and a lot of people limited their 'community' to their friends. But that's not a community - that's a group of friends who live close to each other! A community includes the people who annoy you too.
I feel like something more people need to understand about having a village is that you need to do things for other people too.
November 3, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Including for the people who aren't your friends! I lived in large housing co-op for a while and a lot of people limited their 'community' to their friends. But that's not a community - that's a group of friends who live close to each other! A community includes the people who annoy you too.
Reposted by Jacob S
Centrism is the belief that society achieved perfection around the same time as you became a homeowner
November 3, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Centrism is the belief that society achieved perfection around the same time as you became a homeowner
Reposted by Jacob S
If there is a silent (silenced) majority in Britain, it's the many people who don't think the solution to every problem is crackdowns and cuts
Reactionaries love to use the "silent majority" to claim democratic support
This is because the "silent majority" doesn't exist and they can conveniently speak for it regardless of the clear fact that most don't support reactionary politics
Unfortunately, such claims are far too often amplified
This is because the "silent majority" doesn't exist and they can conveniently speak for it regardless of the clear fact that most don't support reactionary politics
Unfortunately, such claims are far too often amplified
Faiza Shaheen, "I'm so proud to be in this room at to hear so many people fight back against this hateful energy from Reform UK's Matt Goodwin - what's wrong with you"
Matt Goodwin, "Do you think this audience reflects Britain?"
#BBCQT
Matt Goodwin, "Do you think this audience reflects Britain?"
#BBCQT
November 1, 2025 at 8:56 AM
If there is a silent (silenced) majority in Britain, it's the many people who don't think the solution to every problem is crackdowns and cuts
Reposted by Jacob S
Berlin people! I will be talking about my book and tenant organising at Unframe Festival www.unframefestival.com On Sat 1st November at 11.15am. Please do come along and join the discussion.
Unframe Festival Tickets
Unframe Festival
www.unframefestival.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Berlin people! I will be talking about my book and tenant organising at Unframe Festival www.unframefestival.com On Sat 1st November at 11.15am. Please do come along and join the discussion.
Reposted by Jacob S
This goes well with my new party, STFU and House People.
October 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM
This goes well with my new party, STFU and House People.
Reposted by Jacob S
Reposted by Jacob S
I think about this in how the guy who ran MySpace sold his company and then traveled the world doing photography, while the guy who runs Facebook never let it go and has gone out of his way to destroy democracy in order to gain more power.
The desperate need to accumulate more and more at the cost of everyone else’s wellbeing should be classified as a mental disorder, and I will absolutely die on this hill.
Guillermo del Toro on wealth: "a wealthy man is a man who has enough, not a man that needs more. If you have enough to invite someone for a beer? You're rich. If you have a yacht, planes, islands, and you still need more? You're not rich."
October 27, 2025 at 5:20 AM
I think about this in how the guy who ran MySpace sold his company and then traveled the world doing photography, while the guy who runs Facebook never let it go and has gone out of his way to destroy democracy in order to gain more power.
Reposted by Jacob S
it drives inequality, drains productivity, strangles innovation, causes stagnation, reduces consumer spending, deters productive investment & impairs labour market mobility & it's not an ideological lens thing economists both left & right have written about how bad rent seeking is for the economy
Surely spending this much on rent is unproductive for the wider economy?
October 27, 2025 at 12:26 PM
it drives inequality, drains productivity, strangles innovation, causes stagnation, reduces consumer spending, deters productive investment & impairs labour market mobility & it's not an ideological lens thing economists both left & right have written about how bad rent seeking is for the economy
Reposted by Jacob S
Apparently it needs to be said: The best (and possibly only) living conditions for humanity are on Earth.
Space wants to kill you all the fucking time. You can visit, but not for significant portions of your lifespan.
Seriously, look it up.
Fix, cherish, and live on Earth. Visit space.
Space wants to kill you all the fucking time. You can visit, but not for significant portions of your lifespan.
Seriously, look it up.
Fix, cherish, and live on Earth. Visit space.
a black and white photo of a man in a suit standing in front of a white background .
Alt: a black and white photo of a man in a suit standing in front of a white background .
Prince slides across the scene, pitying you
media.tenor.com
October 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Apparently it needs to be said: The best (and possibly only) living conditions for humanity are on Earth.
Space wants to kill you all the fucking time. You can visit, but not for significant portions of your lifespan.
Seriously, look it up.
Fix, cherish, and live on Earth. Visit space.
Space wants to kill you all the fucking time. You can visit, but not for significant portions of your lifespan.
Seriously, look it up.
Fix, cherish, and live on Earth. Visit space.
Reposted by Jacob S
Want to learn about the worldwide rise of tenant organising? Renters unite is now 40% off! www.plutobooks.com/product/rent...
Renters Unite - Pluto Press
The inspiring story of the struggle for housing justice
www.plutobooks.com
October 17, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Want to learn about the worldwide rise of tenant organising? Renters unite is now 40% off! www.plutobooks.com/product/rent...
To buy a house you need £1000s in reserve just for all the bureaucratic bullshit around it. Of that maximum £50 is for ID checks. Yeah, would be good not to pay it. But (a) why not cut the 1000s rather than the 50? and (b) MAKE HOUSES CHEAPER YOU ARSEHOLES. And no, it's not just supply and demand.
Buying a house, a thing so many of us do because it's so affordable. In fact, we all buy houses so often that having a digital ID could save up to 22 minutes per decade!
October 24, 2025 at 1:27 PM
To buy a house you need £1000s in reserve just for all the bureaucratic bullshit around it. Of that maximum £50 is for ID checks. Yeah, would be good not to pay it. But (a) why not cut the 1000s rather than the 50? and (b) MAKE HOUSES CHEAPER YOU ARSEHOLES. And no, it's not just supply and demand.
Wish I could be paid to be relentlessly wrong all day. I still might not humiliate myself on social media like this though.
October 24, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Wish I could be paid to be relentlessly wrong all day. I still might not humiliate myself on social media like this though.
Hehe.
Not quite sure why the media is presenting the Caerphilly result as a disaster for Labour, rather than as a perfect execution of its electoral strategy.
That strategy for *months* now has been to tell everybody who might otherwise be inclined to vote for them to fuck off.
And off they have fucked.
That strategy for *months* now has been to tell everybody who might otherwise be inclined to vote for them to fuck off.
And off they have fucked.
October 24, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Hehe.