Residents of Overtown want a safe place to live, in a community that offers services and economic opportunity. Power U is empowering them to voice their needs and present their demands to get there.
Power U is working to prevent the displacement of low-income families by increasing community control over current housing, new development projects, and the revitalization of Overtown. Overtown has been in steady decline since I-95 was built right through the heart of this once bustling neighborhood. More than half of the residents have been displaced since then. The real estate boom in downtown Miami is presenting a new threat to the remaining residents. As part of the mayor's vision for Miami to be the global city of the South, public land and resources are being leverage to build for the wealthy. Low-income housing is disappearing as it is either torn down after evicting residents, or allowed to decay to the point where it is unsafe for people to live there; what remains is transferred to the private development of condos and upscale retail.
Power U uses community organizing and leadership development to empower Overtown residents to speak out about the issues that affect them and their community. Community leaders are identified and selected to participate in our College of Leadership. After developing basic leadership and organizing skills, they work to organize community members to participate in actions that are aimed at improving conditions. Our biggest campaign was the fight against the Crosswinds' proposal to build luxury condos on public land in Overtown. For three years, Power U and residents spoke out at town hall meetings, rallies, and in the media about the negative impact of this proposal. Residents also worked together to develop a vision for that land and have presented this to the City and County Commissioners. During a public ceremony, they named the land Sankofa, a West African word that means, "We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we can understand why and how we came to be who we are today." Our fight against the Crosswinds project is won but Power U will not stop holding elected officials accountable. We are working with community leaders and experts to monitor the new tender process and hold officials accountable for their recent promises about providing low-income housing.
There are other, often unseen, consequences of gentrification. Time and time again, families are evicted from their homes illegally. Or they are forced to live in unsafe conditions. Or they are manipulated into ownership conversion schemes that ultimately force them onto the streets. Power U has said No More! We have established the first Overtown Tenant's Association. In 2007, we conducted a series of workshops on renter's rights and began building a membership base for the Association. There are currently three buildings in the Association. The OTA is developing a lease agreement that will protect renters from the forces of gentrification and hopefully serve as a template across the area. The Association is partnering with other organizations and agencies who can provide related services, such as legal counsel, to help protect residents from illegal evictions and other such practices by slum lords.