Jordan van den Berg's vigilante-style approach has won him fans and critics amid a housing crisis.

Three years ago, lawyer Jordan van den Berg was an obscure TikTok creator who made videos that mocked real estate agents.

But today the 28-year-old is one of the most high-profile activists in Australia.

Posting under the moniker Purple Pingers, Mr van den Berg has been taking on the nation’s housing crisis by highlighting shocking renting conditions, poor behaviour from landlords, and what he calls government failures.

It is his vigilante-style approach - which includes helping people find vacant homes to squat in, and exposing bad rentals in a public database - that has won over a legion of fans.

Some have dubbed him the Robin Hood of renters.

  • zalgotextEnglish
    51·
    7 months ago

    If a squatter is squatting somewhere you want to live, sure, yeah, you can’t live there. Just like you can’t live there if someone else is already renting it.

    The way you’re describing it, it seems like to you there’s no functional difference between someone paying to live in a property you want, vs. squatting in a property you want. You’re looking through your own personal lense only, and consider things that inconvenience you as “evil”. It’s a prime example of the “fuck you I got mine” mentality.

    • andrewta@lemmy.worldEnglish
      14·
      7 months ago

      No if they are paying the person who holds the title to be in there, then there is no squatting. That is legal usage. The title holder gave permission for the user to be there for a given period of time. Big difference between renting and squatting

      • zalgotextEnglish
        5·
        7 months ago

        But the inconvenience to you is the same, and that seems to be the thing you have a problem with.

        You’re taking issue with squatting, even though the effect on you is exactly the same as someone legally renting - ie, you can’t occupy that property. So what’s the big deal? How does a squatter steal from you, and a renter doesn’t? If the only difference is some legal definitions, maybe the two aren’t that different after all.

        • andrewta@lemmy.worldEnglish
          16·
          7 months ago

          If you haven’t figured it out by now I’d say that’s by choice not because you don’t understand.

          One is someone living there with permission (renter) one is there without permission(Squatting). Squatting is theft. Have a nice day. I’m out.