EDITOR'S CORNER

With strong support from the federal government, cities across the country are pushing out poor people and calling it progress.  Urban land has become a valuable commodity; cities are being sold off to the highest bidders. Amidst the luxury condos and Super Wal-Marts of these revitalized neighborhoods, the low-income residents that once made up the city are nowhere to be found.  Forcing people out of their homes and communities is not progress, it’s displacement and destruction of communities. Too often, the residents whose lives were supposed to be improved by increased job opportunities, better schools and housing, and improved economic environment in these redeveloped communities are not the ultimate beneficiaries because they are forced out.

In this issue of the CJRC newsletter, we bring together the stories of communities fighting for their homes, their land, and their history and culture.  In Dreams Turned Into Rubble in New Orleans, Advancement Project attorneys Anita Sinha and Jill Tauber discuss New Orleans public housing residents’ ongoing fight for the right to return home and the injustices that they face in the wake of Katrina.  In We Are the Ones: You Can’t Revitalize the Community Without the Community, Organizing Neighborhood Equity (ONE DC) talks about the struggles low-income residents of DC face to protect their right to remain in their communities in spite of mass redevelopment.  Finally, in The Struggle and Victory for Scott Carver Homes, the Miami Workers Center details its nearly 8-year organizing campaign to prevent the demolition extremely low-income housing in Miami and to compel the just redevelopment of units that were torn down.

Although these articles differ in many respects, they are anchored in the same fundamental right to our cities and our communities.  It is our hope that this newsletter adds to the ongoing conversations that are happening in low-income communities across the country about how to protect our communities and ensure that any redevelopment that occurs is led by, and for the benefit of, the existing residents. 

FEATURES

Dreams Turned into Rubble in New Orleans
by Advancement Project staff attorneys Anita Sinha and Jill Tauber

“Every American deserves an opportunity to achieve the American dream; New Orleans public housing residents deserve no less.” U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Alphonso Jackson made this statement almost one year ago, during an online forum called “Ask the White House.” Secretary Jackson is right, but his actions do not support his words. To read the entire article, click here.

The Struggle and Victory for Scott Carver Homes
by the Miami Workers Center

The Miami Workers Center has waged a 7-year fight against two federal HOPE VI projects that would have demolished 1600 units of extremely low-income housing in Miami's historic African-American neighborhood. The two projects were home to over 5,000 people. To read the entire article, click here.

We are the Ones: You Can’t Revitalize the Community Without the Community
by Organizing Neighborhood Equity

In Washington, DC, there’s a new initiative in town. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has unveiled the New Communities Initiative, a public-private partnership that is designed to “redevelop…neighborhoods into healthy, vibrant communities for current and future residents.” This city-wide initiative will involve demolishing existing public housing and replacing it with mixed-income housing. To read the entire article, click here.

NEWSMAKERS

Half New Orleans Poor Permanently Displaced: Failure or Success?
By Bill Quigley

Government reports confirm that half of the working poor, elderly and disabled who lived in New Orleans before Katrina have not returned. Because of critical shortages in low cost housing, few now expect tens of thousands of poor and working people to ever be able to return home. To read the full article, click here.

POINTS OF INTEREST

All for the Taking: Housing and Development in Philly

“We believe in the right to affordable housing for all, community empowerment, and mutual support. We reject the displacement of poor, working, and middle class communities due to development pressures and gentrification- rising rents and real estate taxes, speculation, the creation of casinos and luxury housing, the ten year tax abatement on new construction, increased foreclosures, tax liens, and eminent domain. We seek to open up a space to hear from communities and individuals who are directly affected by these pressures as well as their supporters.” To access this resource click here. http://www.allforthetaking.org/?page_id=2.

East Harlem Focus: A Community Facing Transition by HOPE Community, Inc.

This documentary is the product of a 12 month community-based research project examining the rapid changes faced by the residents of East Harlem. To watch the video and learn more about HOPE Community’s work, click here. http://www.hopeci.org/program_EHF.php.

FUNDING RESOURCES/EMPLOYMENT

This updated list provides information about a few of the funding resources and job opportunities are available to community justice practitioners. We plan to update this resource periodically as we learn of new opportunities. Please contact us with any opportunities of which you know and we will add them to this new resource. This list includes programs with upcoming deadlines as well as a few opportunities with rolling deadlines.

Click here to view Funding Resources >

Click here to view Fellowships/Employment >

CJRC CALENDAR

Check out our updated calendar with information on voter registration deadlines and primary and caucus dates! Please email us at cjrc@advancementproject.org with information on events of interest.

Click here to view the Calendar >

MAPPING THE LITERATURE

We encourage you to visit our updated bibliography (partially annotated) of recent publications and articles of interest to racial justice advocates. This bibliography features a dynamic array of publications spanning several exciting topics.

Click here to view the bibliography >

Advancement Project | 1730 M Street, NW #910, Washington, DC 20036 | Phone: (202) 728-9557 | Fax: (202) 728-9558
http://www.advancementproject.org