#247 Martin Place

This week I was in Martin Place, the civic heart of Sydney. But this time was different, probably because all the other times I had been in this place was during the weekend. It really caught my attention, the ‘Street kitchen and Safe Space’ where many homeless people find food and shelter. In South America this would not be any surprise, but in Sydney it seems paradoxical, maybe in some way because it is located in the CBD, near the Reserve Bank of Australia and the New South Wales State Parliament.

The space was set up in year 2011 as part of the global Occupy Wall Street movement, which “fights back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations” (Occupy Wall Street ). In oder words, a movement against social and economic inequality. Nowadays, the space functions 24/7, and as its implied in its definition, “gathers, prepares and distributes food, clothing, blankets and sleeping mats to people living homeless. It also maintaining a safe space to sleep for the night” (The Sydney Morning Herald 2017). The sad issue about this, is that it demonstrates that the amount of homeless people is increasing due to unaffordable housing. Thus, we could say that social justice and equity are not being truly addressed, hence Sydney, in my opinion, could not be labelled as a sustainable city.

However, City of Sydney Council has the intention to change things. One of the ten strategic directions within the ‘Draft Community Strategic Plan 2017–2021’ of the ‘Sustainable Sydney Plan 2030’, is to provide access to housing to a diverse community. The section 8.4 indicates that “people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness have access to safe and sustainable housing and support” (Draft Community Strategic Plan 2017–2021, p.101).

Evidently that it would take several years for the plan to get materialized. Meanwhile, people will probably remain at #247 Martin Place giving support to homeless. While i do not agree with the way by which they have taken use of a public space of the city, because it should belong to everybody, maybe i would do the same if i was in their same situation. Homeless found a smart way for pushing the authorities, settling in a highly crowded place that represents the prosperity of the strong Australian economy. It is incredible that their hope has to be placed in a sustainable plan to be completed in year 2030, homelessness should be addressed beyond sustainability matters.