In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, East Austin Community leaders are holding a press conference to present a 6-point People's Plan to prevent further displacement of people of color from East Austin.
"We have a crisis. Thousands of people of color are being removed from East Austin by gentrification. We need specific programs now to prevent our displacement and save our communities," said Nelson Linder, President of the local NAACP.
The People's Plan consists of 6 resolutions:
- Establish Interim Land Restrictions in East Austin to limit degradation of the fragile natural and cultural environment.
- Establish a Low-Income Housing Trust Fund. Overseen by a community body like in Denver, this fund would make public investments exclusively in low-income housing.
- Use City Public Land in 2018 to create 2000 low-income housing units on eight city properties
- Implement an East Austin Neighborhood Conservation Program with Conservation and Historic Preservation Districts to restrict land use that have been successful in other cities.
- Enact Right to Return and Right to Stay Programs (like in Portland and Houston that help seniors and low-income residents stay in and return to their communities).
- Enact a local Environmental Quality Review Program to ensure environmental justice.
The conference will be held at the Montopolis Negro School at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15.
