Objectives & Desired Outcomes

This project will cultivate awareness of and action on long-term housing justice among various Sunset Park stakeholder groups. Through an overarching strategic plan and supporting resources, DUE students will offer inter-related opportunities to engage Sunset Park residents, non-profits, and organizers in land and housing ideas. Our goal is to foster community knowledge and development around cooperative housing initiatives. And, lay groundwork for Community Land Trusts establishment in Sunset Park, paving the way for sustained community control and housing equity. Emerging organizers have the foundational skills and resources necessary to engage and mobilize their community members, lead future initiatives that promote inclusive, community-led housing solutions in Sunset Park.

Problem Statement

Sunset Park faces pressing housing justice challenges, primarily due to rapid gentrification and displacement that threaten long-standing, low-income residents, often from marginalized communities. Rising rents, tenant harassment, inadequate living conditions, and a shortage of affordable housing make it increasingly difficult for residents to stay in their homes. While community organisations have made huge progress in providing residents with support and crisis alleviation, they lack the funding, resources, and organiser leadership to focus on long-term housing strategy.

Opportunities

Our proposal is inspired by Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes' working group that is training a new generation of community organisers in Sunset Park. Community organisations are often over burdened with day to day crisis management, so the opportunity to grow new housing justice leadership is a long-term strategy. We aim to produce tools and media that are valuable for raising community consciousness and sparking conversation around cooperative housing and other forms of housing justice, but only through a framework of collaboration and an acute awareness of community needs. With ongoing housing justice work, there is also the opportunity to assist community organizers in structuring learning environments for a new generation of organizers.

The main challenges for our project include uniting residents from diverse backgrounds and fostering meaningful collaboration. Another challenge lies in creatively presenting our work to capture interest effectively. It is crucial to achieve our end goal in the most impactful way. Additionally, we face the task of coordinating with various organizations, each with distinct schedules and services, and ensuring cultural competency in the tools we design. Our work must genuinely meet community needs and serve as a valuable contribution. We also aim to build solutions that don't require sustained effort from already-overworked organizers and that generate impact even after our involvement concludes.

Stakeholders

To achieve a sustainable impact on housing justice, collaboration with stakeholders at multiple community levels is essential. At the block level, Tenants' Associations and faith-based and cultural organizations offer direct access to residents and foster trust within their immediate communities. At the neighborhood level, organizations like the Center for Family Life (CFL), UPROSE, and Neighbors Helping Neighbors, along with Brooklyn Community Board 7, bring together broader networks and resources, allowing for coordinated action and deeper engagement on housing issues across Sunset Park.

Other Stakeholders Include:

Engaged residents

Organizations providing housing services in the area

Elected officials

Libraries, Churches & Schools

NYC Community Land Initiative (NYCCLI)

Smaller landlords

Questions for Design Refinement

What resources or tools is your working group initiative lacking? Educational/ strategy? Digital/print?

What will you want to leave the participants of the working group with? Knowledge/ next steps/ tools?

What are the main goals that you are trying to achieve through the working group?