CAMPAIGNERS will gather in an overnight occupation outside City Hall in London to demand that all mayoral candidates commit to investing in social homes as the only real solution to the housing crisis.

Co-ordinated by Housing Rebellion, a direct action group, the protest hits out at all main political parties for only promising to promote more private house building.

The campaigners say this will amount to more polluting and unaffordable “luxury” flats that only benefit corporate investors and developers.

From tomorrow to Monday at 10am, campaigners will occupy the space outside City Hall with a symbolic “tent city” to demand that the next mayor of London refurbish and fill empty homes and focus on social housing provision, rather than continuing to subsidise so-called affordable homes in luxury developments.

“As private rents skyrocket and the government refuses to stop no-fault evictions, private renting has become completely unsustainable,” the organisers have said.

“Councils are buckling under the costs of temporary accommodation for homeless people, which is also sourced from the private sector due to chronic shortage of social homes.”

The protest will set up at 5pm, with participants installing 32 tents for each London borough.

Figures show there are currently more than 85,000 empty and unused homes in London.

At the London average of 2.6 people per household, this would be enough to house more than 220,000 people, Housing Rebellion estimates.

A 33rd tent will be pitched to represent the “London Borough of Empty Homes.”

On Monday, a rally will hear from representatives from the Social Housing Action Campaign, Homes for All, Streets Kitchen, Gypsy and Traveller League, Disabled People Against Cuts, Unite Community and others.

The tents will be donated to Care for Calais and Streets Kitchen after the event.