Housing Crisis, Care, and Empowerment

This chapter introduces the book, situating the housing crisis at the intersection of structural inequalities and individual vulnerabilities. It examines how the Platform of Those Affected by Mortgages (PAH) emerged as a collective response to a systemic mortgage crisis driven by financial institutions, which left families at the center of its devastating consequences. The chapter introduces care as a fundamental element of contentious collective action, framing it as a relational practice that mobilizes people not affected by an issue and addresses the vulnerabilities of those immobilized by their grievances. It lays the groundwork for understanding how mobilization can emerge from the logic of care, positioning care not only as a relational act but as a political force capable of transforming immobilization into empowerment. The chapter outlines the central themes of the book, connecting personal vulnerability with collective agency, and situates PAH within a broader theoretical discussion on care-driven mobilization.