More than a century after Mary Barbour’s rent strike changed history, Glasgow is once again in a housing crisis. Reanne Sutton and Raymie Kiernan trace how our homes became commodities – and ask what it would take to put people back at the centre of housing.

The construction of a new flatted social housing development in Govanhill began this week with the ceremonial breaking of the ground, which is the first symbolic shovelling of dirt on the site to mark the occasion.

In July 2024, people from the Roma community living in Govanhill were surveyed on their experiences with housing conditions and the local environment. The study found that basic human rights are not being supported when it comes to housing with the majority of those surveyed saying the conditions of their homes were poor.

Tenants often face challenges like unaddressed repairs, damp, and rent increases, compounded by a power imbalance with landlords. This article highlights how Living Rent supports renters through collective action and member defence sessions.

This article is a semi-fictionalized attempt to track one Govanhill building over time. None of the people in this story are the real inhabitants of 80 Bankhall street; characters have been created around what would have been ‘typical’ in Govanhill at the time.

We held an inaugural Open House event in the Community Newsroom, alongside The Ferret. Local residents, representatives from community organisations, and industry experts were invited along to hone in on and discuss a pressing issue affecting the local community and what can be done about it. This month we focused on and led a discussion on the housing crisis here in Scotland.