By Mary Jane Agnew : 48hills – excerpt
Rally suggests solution to downtown vacancies—and homelessness
“It’s been a real blessing to be able to focus on my personal healing,” Angel Heart said. “As a grandmother this is the first time in my life that I’ve been able to focus on the trauma and heal from the violence of poverty, and for that I’m so very grateful.”
Heart was talking about her experience with Homefullness in Oakland, which members describe as “a Poor and Indigenous–people led solution to homelessness.” Homefulness is a “sweat equity, permanent co-housing, education, arts, micro-business and social change project for landless/houseless and formerly houseless families and individuals.”…
Led by Tiny Gray-Garcia, a longtime activist, writer, and co-founder of POOR Magazine (and 48hills contributor), the creators and current inhabitants of Homefulness explained why this rent-free housing model should be replicated in San Francisco.
Co-founder of Homefulness and the Self Help Hunger Program “Auntie” Frances Moore declared that “with Homefulness its evident there’s power in the people. I’m asking San Francisco to take a good look, this is the template you need to be following. With APEC coming through… you’re going to sweep them all away, where are they going?”…(more)