A Home of One’s Own

As cities expand and rents rise, what does it really mean to have a home?

‘A vital work of courage and hope, by a truly remarkable individual.’ - Philippe Sands

A home is important because it offers sanctuary and privacy. It can help improve mental health and emotional resilience, and it can help break people out of cycles of poverty. Yet in the past 30 years we’ve seen home ownership dwindle as council housing stocks deplete and more of us are caught in insecure tenancies. And it’s not just London - there isn’t a single major city in the world today not suffering from an affordable housing crisis. Why does this matter - and what can be done?

Drawing on his own history of housing insecurity and his professional career as a planning barrister, Hashi Mohamed examines the myriad aspects of housing - from Right-to-Buy to Grenfell, slums and evictions to the Bank of Mum and Dad. A Home of One’s Own is a deeply personal study of the crisis confronting global metropoles - and an exploration of the ways we can remove barriers, improve equality and create cities where more people have a place to call their own.