Dozens of Black and Latine tenants held a press conference on December 26 outside their homes on Corbett Street in Baldwin Hills, demanding that Boston University protect their housing by accepting a community land trust’s offer to purchase the buildings.
When property owner Frederick Pardee died earlier this year, he left the four buildings—home to over 100 people—to his alma mater, Boston University. Now the university is in talks to sell the property to a developer, who is likely to evict the residents of this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in order to construct a newer, denser building.
“If I leave here, my rent doubles,” said Kimberly Roberson, a 25-year resident of one of the buildings. “And that changes everything about my future.”
Roberson said her neighbors supported her as she raised her two children, and she wants that stability as she ages.
“We help each other,” said ten-year resident Irma Galvez, who is the primary caretaker for her elderly mother. “It’s a community.” Every Saturday, residents Cecilia and Alejandro Rincón volunteer with FoodCycle to deliver free groceries to their neighbors.
Boston University received the property for free and has received an offer from the Liberty Community Land Trust, a Black-led organization working to develop a democratic economy and preserve affordable housing.
Residents have asked supporters to pressure BU to accept the offer, rather than sell the property to for-profit developers. But BU has already accepted an offer from a developer for one of the three buildings, and residents believe the other three could be sold as soon as this week. Representatives of BU did not respond to Knock LA’s requests for comment.
Write a Reply or Comment
You should Sign In or Sign Up account to post comment.