Amidst national protests and political unrest unseen since the Civil Rights Era, it is clear that our society will no longer tolerate systemic racism and inequality. It is time to address systemic anti-black policies directly and head-on. To do this, we must honor the call of the Black-community and make fundamental changes to current processes and policies.

Here, predatory developer Shelter Holdings and white-led, corporate backed Mary’s Place did the exact opposite. Shelter Holdings plans to develop a formerly communal elder care center into market-rate housing in the heart of the Central Area. 

Shelter Holdings did not engage the Black community in its proposal to develop nearly a square block of Seattle’s historic Black neighborhood. Instead, Shelter Holdings evaded it. The Central Area’s Black community clearly and openly communicated its opposition to the development from the outset. Instead of listening and interrogating such strong communal opposition, it strategically selected Mary’s Place—a corporate-backed, white-led* organization with neither ties or roots to the Central Area—to make short-term use of the property (rent free) in attempts to provide a “public good.” The Black community then challenged Mary’s Place’s presence in the Central Area and its role in serving a majority person of color, majority Black housing insecure clientele. 

Further, and speaking directly to this issue, a Black-Led, Community-Based Housing Insecure Consortium (the “Consortium”) presented a proposal to Mary’s Place that would centralize culturally competent housing insecure resources and services including:

• Community Kitchen Food Programs,
• Sustainable Food Growing Programs,
• Africatown Black Health & Wellness Network Pop-Up Clinics,
• An Emergency Shelter,
• Workforce & Entrepreneurial Development Programs, 
• Children & Family Support,
• Youth Development Programs, and
• Community Building Programs.

Not only would the Consortium improve the services Mary’s Place could offer but it would allow all of the Consortium’s Black-led member organizations to operate under one roof to create a truly groundbreaking, innovative, and comprehensive housing insecure service hub in the heart of the Central Area. 

When presented with the opportunity to be on the right side of history, and for Mary’s Place to live out its “organizational values of equity and justice,” Mary’s Place Executive Director Marty Hartman prioritized Mary’s Place’s relationship with predatory developer Shelter Holdings over the Black community—i.e., the very population Mary’s Place purports to serve. Specifically, Mary’s Place rejected the Consortium’s proposal

“[i]n the interest of maintaining good relationships with [Shelter Holdings] and cultivating future opportunities.” 

While this incredibly tone-deaf response would be damning on its own, we are in a global reckoning with racial injustice.  This level of systemic racism will no longer be tolerated. Help us say NO to gentrification and the systemic racism inherent in the white-led non-profit industrial complex.

Our Demands: 

Predatory Developer Shelter Holdings must: 

• ACCEPT the existing proposal that the Black-Led, Community-Based Housing Insecure Consortium (the “Consortium”) presented to Mary’s Place;
• DIVEST from the Keiro Property;
• TRANSFER lease to the Consortium for move-in by July 1st, 2020;
• INVEST in equitable solutions. Specifically, $5 million in the Keiro property for the short-term activation of the space by the Consortium; and
• ATTEND a community-led and facilitated forum on how Shelter Holdings can and must serve as a true ally in support of equitable development on this property and more broadly. 

Corporate-backed, White-led Service Organization Mary’s Place must:

• TRANSFER the Keiro Property to the Consortium immediately, with minimal disruption to the current residents. The Consortium is ready and willing to ensure that this transition is smooth, peaceful, and seamless for current serviced families; and 
• TERMINATE Marty Hartman or she must immediately resign. 

Corporate Funders of Mary’s Place:

• HALT all funding until Mary’s Place interrogates its predatory practices, reflects on this instance, and implements responsive structural change. Specifically, we call on Amazon, as Mary’s Place’s largest donor, to reallocate existing Mary’s Place donations into the Consortium for the near term activation and long-term equitable development of the Keiro property. 

We call on you to support us by signing the petition and emailing the leadership of both Shelter Holdings and Mary’s Place and its top donors. Hold them accountable for their racist and predatory housing practices.

*Mary’s Place’s top three executives and three board positions are entirely white (Martha “Marty” Hartman, Kristi Tolnler, Linda Mitchell, Carie Antonelli, Jim Karambelas, and Lisa Caputo)