Help save our home at South Acton in Ealing

My name is Yacob Woldehiwot. I live with my wife and our two daughters, 13 and  16. Our home is forcibly being taken from us in the name of regeneration. It is a process that has not been fair for residents and the existing community, affecting our physical and mental health wellbeing.

 

I am losing my chosen home, neighbourhood and community in which we have invested heavily beyond monetary aspects. My goal is to be rehomed in the area so that my daughters’ schooling is not interrupted and community links are maintained.

 

I want my victory to set the precedence it is not acceptable to displace residents forcibly and redevelop an area without the betterment of the existing residents. This is a huge legal project that is currently estimated at about £30,000 in lawyer’s fees, your support is greatly appreciated.

 

My family and I live in an ex-council flat, bought on the open market, intended to be a home for life and inheritance for my children.

 

But, our home is scheduled for demolition as part of the Re-development programme in the South Acton area of London.

 

We have been living a stressful life, in limbo, for nearly six years, whilst fighting a Compulsory Purchase Order and Ealing Borough Council's unjust Buyback scheme.

 

I am not against regeneration when it is done right. However, I am not prepared to lose my home and have my family displaced, due to the illogical aggression imposed by the council to do so, in order to fulfil their demolition plans and profit.

 

Ealing Borough Council claims their Buyback offer to me is at market value, but this is well below the amount needed for my family and me to remain in my neighbourhood and community for employment and my children's schooling.

 

Furthermore, Ealing Borough Council fails to engage positively and constructively to reach a timely and fair conclusion.

 

In 2016 my family and I received the first formal demolition notice of the property. Since then, even though I pay a mortgage, ground rent and service charges, there has been a managed decline of the property through neglect, de-servicing, lack of cleaning, lack of repair and a serious compromise of security.

 

This feels like intimidation from the borough council.

 

My family and I are the last remaining people in a block.

After witnessing the slow demolition of a massive strong building that took several months of noise, dust, building vibrations, 24/7 diesel generator noise and an unaccounted amount of carbon emissions, I am now observing, in a fast animation style, the construction of the new buildings.

 

The transformation is happening whilst we experience:

• Weekly heating and hot water breakdowns.

• during the demolition period, endured about five power cuts within a space of two weeks.

• mega amounts of clouds of dust and vibration during the demolition period

• rubbish mysteriously appears dumped on the driveways blocking our way on a few occasions.

• poorly investigating one-month flooding inside the building.

• frequent trespassers are not stopped from coming to the building.

• we have been burgled, and we have regularly faced trespassers even though we are a couple of meters away from a multi-million-pound re-development scheme. Whilst arranged guard dog security is stopped for the third time without any discussion.

 

All I want is to move, if I have to but to move within the area, my community, and this has become my fight.

 

My children are growing up with these insecurities, and they have forgotten what it means to have a secure home.

 

My lawyers have been kindly working on a pro-bono arrangement, and I continue to conclude the matter through negotiation by agreement on many fronts, without success so far. The lawyers have used their 50-hour voluntary assistance because of the borough council's unresponsiveness to negotiate. Therefore further funds are for preparing and supporting at CPO inquiry.

 

They and I have already objected to two council Compulsory Purchase Orders, CPOs, last year.

 

We are now preparing for a CPO Public Inquiry starting on 19th July 2022.

 

But, additional legal support from a CPO specialist, a barrister is needed, and my legal team (who also need to be paid) to ensure more of a chance of defeating the borough council's CPO this summer.

 

PLEASE support my family and I with a contribution to the fees that the CPO specialist barrister and legal team will charge?

 

• Helping will assist in the legal battle of defending against an unfair CPO further negotiation, Preparation and Support for CPO at the public inquiry by the legal team

 

 

I appreciate all your support, and please share the Go Fund Me link with your friends and family.

 

Thank you,

Yacob Woldehiwot

 

BBC documentary:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00156w0

 

Newspaper article: https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/family-wont-council-boot-london-23318739

 

Presentation at the London Mayor GLA https://youtu.be/fYweoJAHYFM?t=5464