PACC Activists and Advocates on the Hill
Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Whitney Barrat in Agents of Change
Pratt Area Community Council (PACC) is a neighborhood staple, and one of the Hill’s greatest assets. Now in its 46th year, it boasts a long and remarkable history of activism and advocacy, neighborhood preservation and renewal, and, of course, community organizing.
Founded in 1964, early efforts focused on securing “decent, affordable housing, tenants’ rights, and economic renewal”, according to PACC’s website. The issues addressed by PACC’s programs resonated deeply within the community, and as momentum grew, so did support from other groups such as Block Associations, PTAs, Tenants’ Councils, Churches, and neighbors. The resulting collaborations formed the foundation not only for PACC’s subsequent successes in such areas as foreclosure prevention work and the preservation of rent stabilized housing, but more broadly for the neighborhood’s current rich legacy of community involvement and endogenous change.
Included amongst PACC’s many early initiatives were its efforts in advocating for the preservation versus demolition of existing housing stock, and for galvanizing tenants through the formation of associations tasked with improving living conditions for residents. This focus on uniting community members and inciting them to work together over shared issues has endured throughout PACC’s tenure, even while the issues themselves have evolved. With twenty years of experience with PACC overseeing that evolution, Deb Howard, the organization’s Executive Director, describes PACC’s basic format for responding to needs within the community. “As people bring issues into the storefront, particularly around housing and economic development, we then have a pulse on what people face in certain conditions, so we can react accurately and positively”, Howard says. “Collective action can affect more change, so we’re looking for the thread that ties everything together. We’ll meet with the whole building and get people to work together.”
Among the most recent testaments to the benefits of this strategy are the newly formed merchant association and the Fulton Area Business Alliance (FAB), the new Business Improvement District (BID), which rely on collective action and organizing to fulfill shared needs. These new cooperative organizations will improve the area through marketing and economic development efforts, landscaping and streetscape improvements, and enhanced public safety, amongst other services.
Gates Coop Ribbon Cutting, July 2009
Collaborations and partnerships are of particular importance in today’s economic climate, Howard notes. “Merchants on Fulton Street have been struggling because they’ve lost their customer base, so they have to learn how to market. Hopefully the new BID will help.” And beyond commercial interests, the recession has had its impact on residential issues as well. “We’re seeing a lot more foreclosures. Originally they resulted from subprime or predatory lending practices. Now we’re seeing job loss as the major reason for nonpayment issues,” Howard explains. “With a multifamily building, if a tenant loses their job and can’t pay the rent, the owner then can’t pay their mortgage.”
Thankfully, in both sinking and soaring economies, PACC is steadfast, continuing to demonstrate its formidable leadership and connection to the community. Through regular speaking engagements on foreclosure prevention, home buying workshops and financial education sessions, and through its presence at block parties, in churches, and neighborhood associations, the organization remains present and active, empowering neighbors and spreading knowledge.
Having celebrated its 45th anniversary and with the establishment of the FAB BID last year, next steps for PACC include improving and expanding their property management department, preserving and maintaining the affordable housing stock that they’ve developed, and continuing to develop green building principles and incentives. These initiatives will, of course, call for continued work with partner organizations and a deeply maintained connection to the community. As community members ourselves, each of us can surely appreciate not only PACC’s extraordinary achievements in advocacy and activism, but also, perhaps most importantly, its impact on the character of our neighborhood.
Whitney Barrat lives on Clermont Avenue across the street from Parham Playground in Fort Greene, and is an ardent fan of both the neighborhood and her neighbors. She makes a habit of getting involved in local initiatives, and is strongly considering attending one of PACC’s workshops for first-time homebuyers very soon.
