Negotiations With MDHA 1.17.07

Kris Warren, Miami Dade Housing Agency (MDHA) Director of public housing, met with the negotiating committee of the Find Our People campaign/Heart and Soul Coalition, which included former Scott resident and volunteer Cora Lipscomb, former Scott resident and volunteer Karaka Campbell, Reverend McCrae of the Baptist Minister Council, LIFFT Leader Yvonne Startford,Tony Romano (Miami Workers Center), and Leroy Jones (NANA).

The Committee put forward demands that LIFFT has been fighting for over the past 6 years – to rebuild 850 affordable rentals (0-30% AMI) in Scott vicinity; to recapture $5 million and deliver promised services; and to provide living wage jobs and job training to former Scott residents and locals. In response, Warren made no solid commitments, but said that she would “look into the status of these concerns.” Warrens was reluctant to offer immediate answers but she did come to the site and dealt with us on our own terms.

We informed her that the Find Our People campaign has successfully located 53 people in a week of activity. Her response to the fourth and last demand, to provide immediate housing for all former Scott residents in need and to support our efforts at 7155 NW 22 Ave, was met with a small victory. She stipulated that once MDHA meets with former Scott residents they would receive keys to a home within 48 hours. We established that the Name Wall is the headquarters for the Find Our People campaign, and Kris Warren said that as long as no tents are pitched on-site, we are able to continue our work from the location.

We also demanded that the site of the last remaining Scott building be historically preserved, and that the building itself be made a museum. Kris Warren responded that the building rehabilitation would be too costly, and she mentioned the paltry sum of $600,000. We said that the building is too precious to be demolished, and that we would provide volunteers including Laborer’s Union Local 1652 members and even F.O.P campaign volunteer Karaka Campbell to repair the building. Warren retorted that a running dialogue around this issue was necessary. The Committee agreed.

Other small victories included Warren’s agreement to the pick up and drop off of former Scott residents from the Name Wall to attend MDHA meetings. However, if our demands are not fully met, and specifically, if 850 units are not rebuilt to restore the Scott community, the struggle will continue.