The “How to... silent occupations” toolkit has been published
In recent years, we have had various experiences with so-called “silent occupations”, i.e. occupations that are not made public. In some cases, homeless people have had a roof over their heads for over a year. With the toolkit – which has been published in the form of a handy zine that you can fold yourself – we want to pass on the techniques needed to open up empty apartments and also share our own experiences with this form of action. You can download the toolkit as a PDF below this text. There you will also find a small folding guide.
Especially in the cold months, the need to have a warm place to sleep is particularly important for homeless people. For many people, sleeping in emergency accommodation is out of the question – whether due to addiction, repressive securities, lack of privacy or simply because dogs are not allowed.
The fact that apartments often remain empty for years and people have to sleep outside is a situation that we do not want to simply accept. We have had good experiences in remedying this situation ourselves and want to encourage other people to do the same.
So far, we have mainly gained experience with people with homes opening doors for people without homes and communicating with the local community in advance. Silent occupations require many resources that homeless people often do not have. Nevertheless, from our perspective, it is desirable to take all steps collectively in order to prevent a division into “activists” and “those affected” and the associated (knowledge) hierarchies. Because, by the way, in their daily lives as squatters, the formerly homeless are of course also activists.
We have found that open and direct communication with everyone involved is essential. Of course, this also means accepting that potential residents may not be able to imagine individual steps, such as opening the door. And if opening the door now seems like the “most blatant step”, remember that the future residents live with the possibility of the occupation being exposed every day.
It is important for us to say that many of the people we have helped to squat would prefer to have a legal tenancy agreement. For various reasons, however, the hurdles are very high. However, we have also had the shared experience that squatting can also offer advantages: It has often gone beyond “just living there” to the development of structures of solidarity within the housing community and beyond. Whether it was support in obtaining everyday items or resolving conflicts. For example, there was a situation of patriarchal violence in the squat in which the perpetrator was successfully thrown out of the apartment together with supporters and the housing community.
In our experience so far, however, there have also been effects of solidarity in the other direction: when a person from the squat community reported a stalker, the squatters agreed to be available at all times should things escalate. However, mutual solidarity can also take place on a structural level:
Apartments are vacant for a variety of reasons and it is not uncommon for them to be used as deliberate strategies to get rid of tenants. A squat can give the rest of the building community the motivation to oppose a longer tenancy and perhaps even stay in the building beyond the legal rental situation. And: squatted apartments are of course super unattractive for potential investors...
We were also able to gain experience of the pitfalls and potential for conflict inherent in silent occupations. The living realities of the squatters and the previous housing community can differ despite the shared roof. The realities of people who have been homeless are not suddenly completely changed by the use of an apartment. The health and psychological consequences of living on the street continue to have an effect in the new situation. Here we have learned that communication between all those involved is the key to success. Concerns on all sides should be taken seriously and solutions sought together.
Here we summarize the practical steps that are important to us:
Ability to report vacancies anonymously and as securely as possible (encrypted e-mail, pre-registered SIM card, personal contact...)
Find out more about the property. Do landlords, tradespeople or interested parties come by? How does the building community feel about a possible silent occupation? In our experience, it makes sense to involve the building community in the plans as early as possible. Asking people from the building community whether they have a problem with a possible occupation may be challenging, but it is less risky than being caught by an unsupportive neighbor when replacing the lock. Communication with people on the same floor is particularly important. We have also found that many people share a sense of injustice about the fact that people are living on the street while apartments are empty.
Take a look at the infrastructure of the property. How can the lock be changed and what effort and tools are required? Do you know someone who already has experience of changing locks and can help you? There are different ways to open doors: However, it takes some practice with lock-picking tools. There are also electric lock-picking tools that jiggle the pins of the lock into the correct position. However, this also requires a lot of practice. In principle, it is also possible to open the door with a crowbar and then change the lock. However, any damage to the door may have to be repaired afterwards. For us, drilling out is the most practical method, which is why we have described it in detail in the toolkit. If you use the toolkit as a guide: Find a lock with which you can practise undisturbed :)
What condition is the apartment in? Is there water and electricity, maybe even a functioning heating system? Are there any other supportive neighbors who can help out with a cable reel and electricity? Hardware stores also sell electricity meters that can be switched in between. In this way, the costs for electricity can be borne in solidarity without individual neighbors having to pay more.
Think about how the squatters can get through the front door. If it is not a security lock, you can ask neighbors in solidarity if you can copy their key.
Think about how you and everyone else involved can leave as few traces as possible. Digital traces and fingerprints in particular pose a risk.
Once the apartment has been opened and the lock has been changed, the future residents can move in. They may want help with this, and you may be able to organize furniture and household items.
Consider how you can protect the occupation from being discovered. Think about how to deal well with security needs. A pre-arranged bell signal can be helpful so that the squatters quickly realize that it is not an uninvited visitor. If there is contact with the police, it should be a matter of course not to make any statements about other people involved. Discuss how you can deal with repression in a spirit of solidarity and respect the fact that different people's willingness to take risks can vary. In our experience, people who live on the street are confronted with various forms of repression on a daily basis. Possible proceedings for trespassing were often the least of the worries for the people we worked with.
Consider how you want to act in the event of an eviction. In our experience, the squatters have had enough time to pack up their personal belongings in all cases known to us. This may also have to do with the fact that occupied apartments are legally protected differently to symbolic occupations, for example. However, this special protection is interpreted so differently in police practice that we do not want to make any general statements here, but only share our own experiences.
It can also be useful to discuss perspectives that go beyond the occupation with those involved. These scenarios can also be characterized by very different needs.
Have fun and good luck!
The zine can be downloaded here as a PDF. (the zine is in german. may a benevolent comrade adapt it for the english-speaking audience.)
There are various explanatory videos on the Internet about the folding technique, e.g. here from 1:20 to 3:30: https://www.yewtu.be/watch?v=nSg6MDKzJIY