Black Americans face unique barriers to accessing affordable housing – and this program is an innovative solution to addressing this problem.
Queer The Land is a groundbreaking project co-founded by Black organizers aimed at creating housing for LGBTQ+ Black and Brown folks. What exactly is the program, though, and why is it so important?
The founders pooled their resources to purchase a 12-bedroom home in Seattle, WA that will soon be renovated into a safe, affordable housing unit. The founders are changing lives, one bedroom at a time – but like everything, the process was challenging.
This community-driven space wouldn't have been possible without the help of fundraisers, donations and a little knowledge about the housing market. Why, though, is the project specifically designed to help LGBTQ+ people of color?
LGBTQ+ communities face unique barriers to access housing. They’re more likely to be discriminated against by landlords, and experience higher eviction rates. Add this to white supremacist discrimination, and LGBTQ+ people of color are some of the most vulnerable to housing insecurity.
Programs like Queer The Land exist because there’s an urgent need for safe and affordable places to live for these communities. These kinds of collective housing projects are examples of how we can take care of each other and challenge discriminatory systems!