Two plots of land in southwest D.C are up for sale and a local resident group is urging the city to purchase it.
Located at 425 and 375 Street SW, the land has historically been used as a community gathering space. It has been the location of the DC State Fair and a local farmers market. The SW DC Action group is asking the city to purchase the land and donate it to the Douglass Community Land Trust, which would establish a chapter consisting of southwest D.C. residents to collectively oversee the land.
“I’ve lived in southwest since 1976, and in recent years, the open lots at 375 M St. and 475 M St. SW have really been the heart of the community. We’ve gathered, celebrated, and protested in this space. If a new luxury building comes in, we lose that space and the community benefits it offers,” said Thelma Jones, a volunteer member of SW Action.
475 M. Street is scheduled for redevelopment and no alternate market locations have been identified, according to a press release from the SW Action resident group.