Rome, Vivere Cooperative 2000: nineteen years of fighting for the right to housing, and it’s paying off!
On Monday, July 14th 2008, the members of the Vivere Cooperative 2000 celebrated their 19th anniversary in their common property ex-convent. The celebration took place at the “Il Cantiere” Social Centre, which is located in the autonomously restructured building on Sonnino Place.
The get-together was an opportunity to recall the 14th of July 1997, when a handful of homeless people, under the guidance of the Union of Property Owners of Rome, marched on the building and immediately took on the task of restructuring it, on the same day as the fall of the Bastille.
The co-op members, which include builders, carpenters, and electricians, rebuilt the edifice in their own image using salvaged materials. Their initiative has been an example for a myriad of Italian and European movements, which continue to organise mobilizations and occupancies.
Ten days ago, the Rome Commune signed the building over to the Co-op, which will in practice entrust it to the members for a rent almost equivalent to that of the norm in public residences.
The actions of the Vivere Cooperative and the Union of Property Owners led not only to success for the inhabitants of the building, but also mean victory for all those without a roof, since a law permitting the autorecuperation of abandoned public property by cooperatives of the homeless has obtained approval. It has led to 12 autorestructuring projects in the city.
Now we can say with elation: autorecuperation is possible.
The building is in Rome, Trastavere, 40 via Gustavo Modena: we’re waiting for you to drop by.
Renato Rizzi
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