It’s true that London has a huge housing crisis, with the average home in this bustling city costing £666,842. The % is only going up with 4.22% in the last 3 months and its making people question if settling and living in the place they grew up in is even manageable anymore.
In the last 5 years, Walthamstow has seen substantial change in its community. Whether it’s the moving of wood street library that saw a 69% of local people in disapproval or family owned businesses slowly being replaced with chain coffee shops and supermarkets. The changes where somewhat welcomed at first, seeing old buildings rebuilt and refurbished to new exciting opportunities in the area. Unfortunately, those changes were all under the pretence of filling the pockets of private developers. Slowly the changes became a burden with the community, where old nostalgic buildings where being torn down, taking people’s memories along with them.
Having grown up in this area, it pains me to think I might not be able to live here in the future myself, having to move away from my family all because I would not be able to afford a home of my own. The average price for a home in Walthamstow has doubled in the las ten years by 98% from £214,784 to £424,655. Most of our future generation has essentially been kicked out of our homes, told to pack our bags, and go find a new home.
For most younger people, it has been accepted that our futures might not be in London if we want to own a property. Even now, many are slowly moving out of London. Over 1.6 million people have moved out and over 70% were 20-60-year olds.
Walthamstow and London itself are no longer places to live and raise families in. Its slowly been turning into a place for business and the rich more so than before and its depressing to see our childhood homes and areas be removed and renovated for the richer
