In response to the crisis of affordable housing for low-income workers and the homeless, particularly in the African American community, a group of South Florida organizations and individuals calling themselves “Take Back the Land” took control of a plot of government-owned land for the benefit of the people on Oct. 23.
The land had been vacant for years after the government said they would build low-cost housing on it. So the people took it and plan to build their own structures. Some are living there now. They have growing and significant community support, which will make it increasingly difficult for authorities to dislodge them.