Thread by @CityLife_Clvu

We are saddened to hear of the passing of our friend and comrade Mel King. Mel was a man of action. He was a community organizer through and through. He fought the system from a place of deep love of his community. He was born in and fought displacement in the South End. (🧵)

He deeply valued the value of education as liberation, and he taught and fought everywhere he went. He was a teacher, a mentor, a friend, and a fighter for the people of Boston. Our community will deeply miss Mel.

Mel was a close part of the City Life community. The last time Mel King did civil disobedience was at a City Life action in 2013. Alongside fellow ancestor Jim Brooks, Mel sat on the steps of the courthouse demanding the state “HALT NO FALT EVICTIONS.” #bospoli #mapoli

Here we are 10 years later and we have just passed legislation in the City of Boston that does just this. And now we’re waiting on the Statehouse to take action on it. There are THREE BILLS pending on Beacon Hill that would end no-fault evictions as we know it.

(1) “An Act petition for a special law authorizing the city of Boston to implement rent stabilization and tenant eviction protections” (HD.4216) would protect renters from rent gauging and no-fault evictions, a bill that 11 out of the 13 City Councillors voted in favor of.

(2) “An Act enabling cities and towns to stabilize rents and protect tenants” (HD.3953/SD.1818) would create a statewide framework that cities could opt into that would eliminate no-fault evictions and stabilize rents.

(3) “An Act establishing a Massachusetts foreclosure prevention program” (HD1551/SD.909) would require banks try pre-foreclosure mediation with families before starting a foreclosure or eviction process.

We owe it to Mel to see this through.
¡MEL KING PRESENTE!

Take action for housing justice: homesforallmass.org/act/email/