On September 27th, the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) organized a community town hall meeting to discuss gentrification in DC's Barry Farms neighborhood. Residents who attended were extremely frustrated that they have been kept in the dark about much of the development that has occurred in their neighborhood.

InPDUM organizer and DC native Aaron O'Neal said, "There was a consensus that more aggressive action needed to be taken" in response to these developments.One resident remarked that "DC is no longer chocolate city."

ONE DC and InPDUM, along with other like-minded organizations, will continue to organize in order to bring the reality of many DC residents being displaced, particularly those in the Barry Farms neighborhood, to the forefront of city concerns.

Boston's City Life's Bank Tenant Association has been meeting and protesting for almost 5 years. Together the people who attend the weekly meetings have won de facto principal reduction for more than 100 families. These successes have led banking insiders to describe Boston as the "ground zero" of foreclosure resistance

ONE DC members are invited to attend a dinner and discussion, in Baltimore, where the grassroots organizers will share their experiences and will then engage in Q & A. Please register for the event athttp://action.goodjobsbetterbaltimore.org and click on the "events" tab at the top of the page. You can also call 443-449-2048 for more information. There is no costto attend the dinner and meeting.

What: "Lessons from Boston: Foreclosure Resistance" 
When: Friday, March 30, 2012, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Govans Boundary United Methodist Church at 5210 York Road, Baltimore, MD, 21212
Hosted by: Ella Baker Organizing Institute, Good Jobs Better Baltimore, Occupy Our Homes: Baltimore, Public Justice Center, and United Workers.

Nearly one in four working households spends more than half of its income on housing costs, according to a new report by the National Housing Conference.

Moreover, despite falling home values, housing affordability worsened significantly for working owners and renters between 2008 and 2010.

The report shows that housing problems cause financial stress and also have a negative impact on health, education and the enviroment.

To go with the report there is a short and accessible blog post which you can read here

On Thursday, July 15th, ONE DC and the community celebrated the transition and closure of ONE DC’s action to liberate "Parcel 42." Due to the momentum and excitement surrounding this action, upon ONE DC's withdrawal, a collective was formed by DC residents on the site and they assumed responsibility for coordinating and sustaining the tent city for another two weeks. The collective hoped to continue to uphold the goals set forth by ONE DC’s historic action — and maintain a safe, community-friendly, non-violent direct action. And they too achieved this with much success. There were nightly workshops, political discussions, community outreach, and talent shows.

As of now, ONE DC understands that a few residents have taken up full-time residence on site. And that they understand that ONE DC’s direct involvement with and the national Take Back the Land's support of the tent city ended over a month ago.

Organizing Neighborhood Equity (ONE DC) liberated Parcel 42 on July 10, 2010 to protest what we believed to be a political refusal to develop NEW units of housing that is affordable for households, making less than $50,000. We felt that with the declining number of available Section 8 vouchers and the rising costs of living in DC — the missed opportunity of developing households that meets the current needs of long-time low-income residents at Parcel 42 was an issue that couldn’t be ignored.

We Shall Not be Moved: Until Victory Comes!

After Fenty’s four years of broken promises to build truly affordable housing on Parcel 42, ONE DC successfully “liberated” Parcel 42 as a conclusion to our Right to Housing Block Party!

What is Parcel 42?
More on the history of Parcel 42
We Shall Not Be Moved - press release
What can you do? Call your councilmember and major!

View more pictures of the tent city on Parcel 42

The Word is Out!
ONE DC Land Takeover - Radio4All
Passel of Trouble Over Parcel 42 - Poverty & Policy
ONE DC Seizes Parcel 42 Erects Tent City - Lady Liberty's Lamp

Keep up to date with the latest news at the Parcel 42 Tent City:
Parcel 42 tentcitydc blog, where intentional community is in progress...
Parcel 42 Tent City tweets

Tent City in the News!
Tent City on a Hill: What Will the Fight for Parcel 42 Achieve?
'Tent City' forms in protest to Shaw apartments - WTOP (103.5 FM)
DC Tent City Continues to Protest - ABC News 7 (video)
DC Tent City Protest Enters Fifth Day - News Channel 8
Group Establishes Tent City, Protests Lack of Affordable Housing
Tent City Protests DC Affordable Housing Policy - ABC 7 News Block Party With A Twist in Shaw - Washington City Paper

After Fenty’s four years of broken promises to build truly affordable housing on Parcel 42, ONE DC successfully “liberated” Parcel 42 as a conclusion to our Right to Housing Block Party!

BUT IT'S NOT OVER: ONE DC/Take Back the Land is calling EVERYONE to support our fight for equitable land development/affordable housing for Parcel 42!

Join ONE DC’s Fight for truly Affordable Housing on Parcel 42!
TELL FENTY: WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED!
July 10, 2010-Until ?!
7th & R Streets, NW

There are several additional ways you can support ONE DC’s Human Right to Housing Campaign:

1. Share food, water, and your talent with us
2. Eat, outreach, and fellowship with us
3. Stay with us—we especially ask members who are directly affected by the lack of truly affordable housing crisis to join us and spend the night
4. Call your councilmember and/or Fenty and tell them “Invest in Truly Affordable Housing starting with Parcel 42, which means making it affordable for households making less than $50,000 AND less than $25,000! And Hands OFF ONE DC!”

Call (202.232.2915) or email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) for more information

CALL/EMAIL TODAY IF YOU CAN PARTICIPATE!

ONE DC’s 315 members stand with over a quarter of million DC’s low-income people of color and we demand a new direction in the movement for equitable land development and affordable housing in the District of Columbia.

In 2008, the District of Columbia was sanctioned as a Human Rights City.

In 2010, ONE DC members and its supporters continue to hold all politicians accountable for the and creation and perseveration of affordable housing as part of DC residents’ Human Right to adequate, quality, and decent shelter—an important component of a Human Rights City!

Below you will find our central demands that any elected official must meet if they are committed to ensuring equity and protecting our human rights to shelter and equitable land development.

• Demand 1: Recognize and fully enforce every District of Columbia’s resident’s Right to Housing and Equitable Land Development

• Demand 2: According to the recommendations of the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur’s Report on Adequate Housing in US, Stop all Evictions!

• Demand 3: Adopt a new definition of affordable housing: Down with DC Metro’s Area Median Income (AMI)!

• Demand 4: Invest in the Trust: Appropriate and Stabilize Funding for Housing Production Trust Fund at $100 Million
• Incorporate the new definition of affordable housing into the Housing Production Fund Trust Fund and other local housing programs.

• Demand 5: Increase Funding for Local Affordable Housing Programs (including but not limited to HPAP, Local Rent Supplement, and Housing First)

QUESTION:
What can I do to PUSH District of Columbia closer to a city where our human right to housing is PROTECTED?

ANSWER:
Call your councilmember and Mayor Fenty TODAY and tell them:

“I am a DC resident/supporter and I believe that Housing is a Human Right that must be protected. I am calling to tell you that DC must BUILD MORE TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING—STARTING WITH PARCEL 42! Parcel 42 should be truly affordable for households making less than $50,000 a year.”

After your phone call, come back to ONE DC and join the RIGHT TO HOUSING Campaign—and organize for EQUITY and JUSTICE with ONE DC!

Community organization ONE DC "liberated" a vacant lot in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC on the afternoon of Saturday, July 10, 2010. The contentious Parcel 42, upon which Mayor Adrian Fenty promised to build affordable housing only to break the promise and sell to developers, was reclaimed by ONE DC, local residents and supporters. As of Saturday night, ONE DC and supporters are building a tent city on the land to house people. Police said they will "allow" protesters to remain "until Monday."

After starting the day with their annual block party, ONE DC upped the ante in the Shaw neighborhood, near Howard University, by marching approximately 200 people over to the corner of 7th and S Streets NW, entering Parcel 42 and building a tent city.

After denouncing Mayor Fenty for going against his promise, organizer Rosemary Ndubuizu led the crowd from the block party to the lot as member Franklin Brooks led the chants.
Following a few speeches and some celebration, DC police arrived with the special ops unit. Executive Director and police liaison Dominic Moulden asserted the right to engage in civil disobedience and won a stay from police action. The officer in charge stated that if people wanted to remain on the lot "that is fine- until Monday."

ONE DC is demanding Parcel 42 is used to build "truly affordable" housing- intended for families making under $50,000 and under $25,000 per year- in a community where such housing is badly needed. If Mayor Fenty and other officials are unwilling to build it, they argue, then the community must create such housing itself.

ONE DC is an autonomous organization which is affiliated with the Take Back the Land- Movement, a network of organizations fighting for the human right to housing. For more information, see ONE DC's Human Right to Housing/Land Campaign

Media Coverage

ONE DC Liberates Land - Take Back the Land
Tent City Protests DC Affordable Housing Policy - Channel 8
Shaw Tent City - Washington City Paper