CCUSATIONS of “social cleansing” have been levelled at a housing association that is threatening to evict 18 tenants living communally from a property in sought-after Barnsbury.The group, living in a block of four joined-up The Islington Park Street tenants, off Upper Street, has been told by One Housing Group the social landlord is seeking possession of their homes because the occupants have no “proven entitlement” to social housing.The property could be worth around £10million – £100,000 more than OHG received in government funding last year – and the housing association has not ruled out selling it off.But the group of nine women and nine men aged between 19 and 79 feel their way of life is being threatened, and say they are willing to come to an agreement with OHG over a new allocations policy.They have launched a campaign, backed by Islington Council, to save their community and another in Kingston, south London. An online petition has been signed by almost 7,000 people.

• Keywords
  HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS, EVICTION, SOCIAL EXCLUSION, WELFARE SERVICES
• Geographical keyword
  BARNSBURY, ISLINGTON PARK STREET
• Persons keyword
  One Housing Group