Assemble's Turner Prize-winning Liverpool houses sold with anti-gentrification covenants

In Liverpool's Toxteth neighborhood, eight derelict houses renovated by design collective Assemble are being sold with restrictive covenants preventing future market-rate sales. The 2015 Turner Prize-winning project involved properties owned by a residents-run housing trust, with three already sold for £90,000 each under terms requiring subsequent sales below market value. Erika Rushton, chair of the residents' group, emphasized keeping homes accessible to local residents, while vice-chair Hazel Tilley explicitly stated opposition to "white middle class investors" and gentrification. Purchasers must demonstrate area connections, first-time buyer status, and need for affordable housing. Assemble's £25,000 prize victory sparked debates about art's boundaries, drawing parallels to community-focused artists like Theaster Gates and Rick Lowe. The 2016 Turner Prize nominees included Anthea Hamilton, Michael Dean, Helen Marten, and Josephine Pryde, with the winner announced December 5 at Tate Britain.