As we mentioned in last week's post, one significant struggle over the use of public property in addition to Franklin centers around Parcel 42, at 7ths St and Rhode Island Ave NW. This land was promised as affordable housing for families making less than $50,000/year, but now the city seems to have its eye on luxury housing development.
Today, July 26th, developers submit proposals to the city government to develop the controversial Parcel 42.
In response, the incredible organizers at ONE DC have created a new petition that, when signed, will deliver a copy of our demands directly to the three developers bidding on Parcel 42 and the city officials most responsible for this development.
Now is the time to let the government and developers know that we are not only aware of what is happening, but are mobilized and demanding our voices be heard and respected concerning the development of public land in our own communities. Much like Franklin, this campaign is about whether the city will use what it owns in order to serve community needs, or if low-income residents will be squeezed out while developers profit on developments for wealthier residents.
Please support ONE DC in demanding that development on Parcel 42 be halted until the resources and community involvement needed to develop fully affordable housing is realized.
Following this flood of emails, ONE DC will organizing meetings with developers and officials and bringing the full list of signatures from our primary petition. The campaign will also enter its second phase as we seek to mobilize more political power and grassroots actions.
The trial is over, and the Franklin defendants have been convicted of unlawful entry. But the struggle over the use of this and other public properties continues. We hope that you will still take action to tell the Mayor and Council that Franklin should serve the community.
Franklin School is, in fact, one of many public properties that Mayor Gray and the DC government are misusing or trying to sell off to private developers. Now, more than ever, it's clear that we can't trust politicians to manage these public resources. We hope that all Free Franklin supporters will also act to support the grassroots groups who are organizing to take control of what rightfully belongs to the people of DC in order to meet communities' needs in two other essential campaigns.
Parcel 42 in the Shaw neighborhood was the subject of a tent city occupation two years ago. The land was promised for affordable housing, but there now appear to be proposals to use it for market rate (not remotely-affordable) developments. Click here to learn more and sign the petition. As of July 26th, ONE DC has unveiled a new petition for affordable housing on Parcel 42--please sign this one, even if you signed he previous petition.
At the same time the city is currently trying to use the vacant Crummell School in Ivy City as a parking lot for charter buses. This goes against the wishes of Ivy City residents, who have spent many years developing a vision to use it as an adult education and recreation center. Click here to learn more and sign the petition.
Today would be Woody Guthrie's 100th birthday. As he wrapped up his closing statement in the Franklin Shelter trial Wednesday, pro se defendant Jesse Schultz said, "As Woody Guthrie said," when a prosecutor interjected, "Objection! Not in evidence!" Laughter erupted throughout the courtroom, and the smiling judge suggested that he courtroom hear what My. Guthrie had to say. Jesse continued with a quote from Guthrie's "Pretty Boy Floyd": "Some will rob you with a six-gun/Some with a fountain pen." Thanks Jesse, and thank you Woody. Happy birthday.
The trial may be over, but the fight is still on. Franklin School is one among many public properties that Mayor Gray and the DC government are misusing or trying to sell off to private developers. Now, more than ever, it's clear that we can't trust politicians to manage our public resources. We need to organize and take control of what rightfully belongs to the people of DC in order to meet communities' needs.
Lot 42 in the Shaw neighborhood was promised for affordable housing and is now on the auction block for market rate (not remotely-affordable) condo development. Click here to learn more and sign the petition.
And the city is currently trying to use the vacant Crummell School in Ivy City as a parking lot for Bolt Bus, against the wishes of Ivy City residents to use it as an adult education and recreation center.
Click here to learn more and sign the petition.
MEDIA ADVISORYCONTACT: Ray Valentine Ph.: 440-204-8284
July 12, 2012 Email: freefranklindc@gmail.com
DC Residents Hold Press Conference Today on Guilty Verdict in ‘Free Franklin’ Trial
Defendants and Attorneys will Discuss Trial Verdict for Activists who Occupied Vacant Franklin School to Protest Lack of Housing for City’s Homeless
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after a 3 day trial in DC Superior Court, a jury found six housing activists guilty of unlawful entry. The ‘Free Franklin six’ were arrested last November as part of an occupation of the vacant, publicly owned Franklin School building at 13th and K Streets NW. The defendants were part of a larger group that attempted to re-open the Franklin building to raise awareness of the need for housing and other services for the city’s homeless and underserved residents. The activists were promoting the idea that public resources would be better utilized if controlled directly by the community and not left abandoned or sold to the highest bidder by city officials.
Despite the guilty verdict, in sentencing Judge Broderick showed sympathy for the defendants by giving them only 5 days in jail suspended with three months unsupervised probation that can be cut in half. When the Prosecution asked that the defendants be sentenced to community service, the Judge responded that they do community service all the time.
"The real crime here is the mismanagement of public resources like Franklin and the lack of services for DC’s homeless,” says defendant and DC resident Rosa Lozano. “This trial was a waste of taxpayer resources that could be better spent on putting abandoned buildings like Franklin to use to serve the real needs of the greater DC community.”
During the trial, the defendants did not deny that they were in Franklin School but argued that they were sequestered and arrested without proper legal authorization. In the testimony of two of the six defendants and remarks from another who represented himself, they argued that they had a right to be in the Franklin building on November 19th, 2011 because it rightfully belongs to the people of DC. However, Judge Broderick did not allow crucial aspects of the defense’s case that would have allowed the jury to understand why the defendants should be acquitted. In these circumstances, the jury returned a guilty verdict against all six defendants.
“The prosecution worked hard to keep the politics out of this case and prevent any mention of the shameful history of this building and others like it,” explained supporter Ray Valentine. “They clearly knew that they couldn’t win that argument—that no jury of DC residents, would support the city’s failure to use public property to address community needs.”
Community groups have been fighting for the city to re-open the Franklin Shelter that was illegally closed by then Mayor Fenty in 2008, but DC officials have ignored all demands thus far, and instead have been trying to sell the building to a private developer.
"I participated in this action because the people of this city can't count on the DC government to be honest with public resources,” says defendant and DC resident Jesse Shultz who represented himself ‘pro se’ in the trial. “Honestly, I think we need to put the city council and mayor on trial for policies that result in human rights abuses by depriving homeless people of shelter, especially in the freezing winter months as well as on these scorching hot summer days.”
The city is currently facing a growing crisis of homelessness (currently over 6,500 homeless individuals) and lack of affordable housing, but the city continues to close shelters and cut funds for needed services, including $7 million cut from homeless services in next year’s budget.
Nonviolent direct action tactics like those employed in the Franklin occupation have been used effectively on numerous occasions in the district. Franklin first became a shelter in 2002 through an occupation by housing activists and was re-opened again in 2003 due to pressure from a second occupation. It remained an emergency shelter for the homeless until 2008. Other shelters have also opened as a result of community action.
According to Attorney Mark Goldstone who was the attorney advisor for Mr. Schultz, “throughout their case, the defendants were able to establish that in DC, historically, the only way to get a shelter opened is through direct action, but bureaucratic processes continue to fail the citizens of DC.”
For more information, go to: http://freefranklindc.blogspot.com
[Please direct press inquiries to Ray Valentine, 440-2204-8284. More press materials and information to follow.]
All six defendants in the Franklin Shelter case were found guilty today of one count of entering without authority.
Despite this disappointing verdict, the sentence reflected the noncriminal and pro-comunity nature of their actions. The prosecution requested a $1000 fine and* a year of community service. The judge replied, "Most of what they do is community service," which affirmed the nature of their work.
The sentence itself was: 5 days suspended sentence, 3 months unsupervised probation which may be cut in half at the judge's discretion, and the absolute minimum contribution to the victims of violent crime fund. This is not a fine, but a fund into which all those convicted in DC must pay some amount; $50 is the minimum. During probation, defendants must stay away from the shelter--but may be across the street.
In the meantime, the city remains guilty of allowing public building to sit unused while people literally sleep outside of them. The people of DC need action on this far more pressing issue.
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* Correction: The prosecution asked for a year of community service, but not a $1000 fine. This mistake grew out of the retelling of a side comment the prosecutor had made. The confusion grew from a fast-paced and emotional moment, but we sincerely apologize for the error.
The jury started deliberations on a verdict late today and will be coming back tomorrow at 9:30 am. We expect a verdict sometime tomorrow, though we don't know what time.
Please come down tomorrow to support the defendants when they hear the verdict. We'll be at the court starting at 9:30 am, court room 112 again. Some of us will also be flyering the public outside of Franklin, at 13th and K Streets NW, from 8:30 to 9:15.
And at 5:30 pm tomorrow, if there is a verdict issued, we'll hold a press conference in front of Superior Court. We'll send an update of there's any changes.
The Defense presented the rest of their case this afternoon. Rosa Lozano testified about how the DC government has over and over again ignored demands to re-open Franklin, forcing community members to take action like the November occupation.
Then the Prosecution and the Defense presented their closing arguments. The Defense pointed out that the police who had been called to testify by the Prosecution contradicted each other's stories, and were unable to prove that they had the lawful authority to kick the defendants out of the Franklin building.
Jesse Schultz, one of the defendants who is representing himself pro se, gave a moving closing statement where he explained that the defendants believe they had a right to be in the Franklin building on November 19th, 2011 because it is a building that rightfully belongs to the people of DC and there was broad community support for the effort to re-open it. He also reminded the jurors that their decision on the verdict should be based on the morality of what the defendants did, not just the technicalities of the case. The defendants' actions were an attempt to right the injustice committed by the city when they illegally closed the Franklin Shelter, and we hope the jury will uphold this by finding them not guilty.
The jury started deliberations on a verdict late today and will be coming back tomorrow at 9:30 am. We expect a verdict sometime tomorrow, though we don't know what time.
Once again, please come down tomorrow to support the defendants when they hear the verdict. We'll be at the court starting at 9:30 am, court room 112 again.
And at 5:30 pm tomorrow, if there is a verdict issued, we'll hold a press conference in front of Superior Court. We'll send an update of there's any changes.
