The Struggle for Scotts Continues

It is a very exciting time. The Scotts Struggle headquarters and the Find Our People Name Wall have been hosting a number of events in the past few weeks.









On Saturdays we throw Justice for Scotts BBQs from 2 -6pm. Here are some photos.































We also painted a mural of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the end wall on the last remaining Scott Home. Come by and see it in person at the corner of 22nd Avenue and 72nd St. NW. (or you can look at the photo below.)

Super Bowl Scott Events

This Super Bowl week is shaping up to be exciting and fun. We will be hosting several events starting Saturday, January 27, at the last remaining Scott Building. These events are a part of the struggle to reclaim the land and the community. Come through, have fun and support Justice For Scotts.

Justice for Scotts BBQ - Ribs and Chicken
Saturday, January 27th
2-6 PM

Community Gardening
(children welcome and encouraged to come)
Tuesday, January 30
4 - 6 PM

Movie Night
Wednesday, January 31
6 - 8 PM

All events are hosted at the last remaining Scott Building on the corner of 22nd Avenue and 72nd Street NW.

For more information on events please contact joseph@theworkerscenter.org.

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.

The County Tried to Shut Us Down

Today Miami Dade Housing Agency head Kris Warren sent workers to the de-facto headquarters of the Find Our People Campaign at 7255 NW 22nd Ave to fence-off the property and prepare the last remianing Scott building for demolition.

Former Scott residents, members of LIFFT and Miami Workers Center have maintained a 24-hour presence on the site for four days now. Over 50 new people come through each day to share information and help out with the campaign.

“We called Kris Warren [MDHA Head]. She told us this building is slated for demolition. She said we had to move,” said Tony Romano of the Miami Workers Center. “Just yesterday Ms. Warren came down here and told us she wants to work with us. She said she wanted to support us in this campaign. Here we are doing work they should be doing anyway and she tries to shuts us down.”

Romano informed Warren that the site is essential for the campaign, he credits its centrality with the early success of finding people from Scotts. “She told us we couldn’t stay over night. We told her we need to protect the wall and the hundreds of human hours that have gone into collecting information.”

Eventually Warren backed off and told Romano that as long as the group doesn’t put up tents they wont be kicked off the land.

According to a demolition worker the site at 7255 NW 22nd Ave was not part of the original demolition schedule and was only added after the Find Our People Campaign took up residency.

Waymond Pace

Waymond Pace is a former Scott Homes resident. He was born and raised in Liberty City, and spent the years 2001-2003 living in Scott Homes.

“The system failed me.” Pace said today at the Find our People Name wall.

The government kicked him out of his home. From there his life spiraled deeper into poverty. He was offered a section 8 voucher through Hope VI but he couldn’t find housing. Pace, homeless, found himself wondering the city, sleeping on the streets. He tried to stay in shelters but they were so terrible he preferred the streets. Most recently he has been sleeping in all-night laundries.

Pace is helping find former Scott residents. He stays overnight at the last remaining Scott building, 7255 NW 22nd Ave. where the Find Our People “Name Wall” is located. During the day he leaflets the area and helps people who stop by fill out surveys about long lost neighbors.

When they were kicking him out of Scotts the county told Pace the buildings were rundown and in need of revitalization. These excuses are commonly heard in inner cities throughout the country where government works hand in hand with developers in gentrifying different neighborhoods.

The County made promises to Pace and other Scott residents that they could return when rebuilding was done. When he requested a hearing with the new head of MDHA, Kris Warren, to establish his right to a home, he was simply told to reapply for Section 8 and escorted from the building by security. “I am disgusted with these people,” he said sitting on the porch of the boarded up Scott building.

Pace is hopeful about his future and excited to be working on Find Our People Campaign as a member of Low-Income Families Fighting Together.

Based on an interview with Quanita Toffie, an MWC volunteer.

Campaign Launch

Click here for pictures.

Miami Dade Housing Agency admitted to losing over half of the families who were promised new homes when the county tore down Scott Homes over five years ago utilizing a federal HOPE VI grant. In response former residents and community organizations launched the Find Our People Campaign to find all the missing residents and fight for immediate housing.
The campaign was announced at a lively rally and press conference in front of the last remaining Scott Homes building (7155 NW 22nd Ave) by former residents, members of Low-Income Families Fighting Together (LIFFT), Miami Workers Center, Heart & Soul Coalition. The group also erected a Find Our People Name Wall that will serve as an information collection point and constant reminder of the failure of HOPE VI.
“We were kicked out of our homes and promised so much: housing, services, a chance to come back,” said Yvonne Stratford, former Scott resident and LIFFT leader. “They have broken every single promise. HOPE VI is a failure.”
Find Our People Campaign is utilizing radio announcements, wide-spread street outreach, a phone hotline 1-877-33-Housing-Now, and a website www.findourpeople.blogspot.com to locate the missing residence.
“Not only are we trying to find all of these people we are also demanding housing now,” declared Tony Romano of the Miami Workers Center. “The county and HOPE VI tore down Scott Homes in the middle of a housing crisis. They displaced over 850 families in the black community. This loss of housing in the black community during these hard times for housing is criminal and racist.”
Members of LIFFT and former Scott residents stood in front of an 8-foot tall “Name Wall” made up of five panels. Each panel will hold 75 names and space for people to fill in information about their lost neighbors, family and friends.
“I come out of Scott. I was homeless. But I was one of the lucky few. I got my home a couple months ago,” said Caprice Brown former Scott resident and member of LIFFT. “But I wont stop fighting until we all get was promised to us. Justice for Scotts. Find our people”

The Hotline

If you are from Scott Carver Homes or know anyone from Scott Carver Homes please call the Find Our People hotline 1-877-33-HOUSING -NOW.