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PLCC 2020 Annual Meeting Recap

PLCC held a successful annual meeting on November 17, 2020, with over 130 people in attendance. We heard from elected officials, local residents and business owners, nonprofit service providers and more about how we can continue working together to make the Purple Line a place of equity and opportunity after an incredibly challenging year.

We left the meeting energized and optimistic about what we can make happen in 2021.

In case you missed it, feel free to check out slides and watch segments of the meeting below

And please be sure to check out PLCC’s 2020 progress report, which includes much more detail about coalition work along the corridor!

WATCH the full meeting here. Time marks below:

  • 00:00:12 – Welcome remarks from Maryland State Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins
  • 00:03:15 — Welcome remarks from Prince George’s County Councilmember Deni Taveras
  • 00:07:18 – Purple Line: Where are we? Where are we headed? Gerrit Knaap, Director, National Center for Smart Growth and Co-chair, PLCC Steering Committee; Sheila Somashekhar, PLCC Director
  • 00:22:37 – Remarks from Isaías Portillo, Resident of the corridor and grassroots activist
  • 00:26:52 – Panel: Forging ahead in challenging times: action along the corridor. Panelists included:

– Marla Bilonick, Executive Director and CEO, Latino Economic Development Corporation

– Jorge Benitez-Perez, Organizer, CASA

– Pat Parker, Executive Director, Central Kenilworth Revitalization Corporation

– Lisa Butler McDougal, President, Sowing Empowerment & Economic Development, Inc. (SEED)

– Moderator: David Bowers, Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Market Leader, Enterprise Community Partners

  • 01:09:45 – Remarks, Lene Tsegaye, owner of Kefa Café
  • 1:19 – Key Elements of National Center for Smart Growth’s FTA/MTA grant and breakout discussion takeaways
  • 1:38 – Closing remarks from Prince George’s County Council Member Dannielle Glaros
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PLCC Partners Step Up to Provide COVID Support

The Purple Line Corridor Coalition formed to help businesses and residents deal with the disruption caused by the Purple Line. But the pandemic has turned just about everything upside down this year, and that includes the work of PLCC partners, who are using their expertise to help homeowners, renters, and entrepreneurs struggling from the economic consequences of the pandemic. 

Some of the COVID-19 support being offered by PLCC partners:

LEDC has offered trainings and pro bono legal services to businesses and is providing support to underrepresented entrepreneurs in the hospitality and food industries through its Food Venture Initiative. LEDC has also helped tenants apply for rental assistance and supported rent strikes when necessary.

CASA has also been helping renters organize rent strikes. Organizers, like Jorge Benitez-Perez, have also helped tenants negotiate with landlords to secure rent relief. 

Housing Initiative Partnership’s housing counseling program is helping homeowners and renters avoid eviction and foreclosure. HIP helps homeowners negotiate with lenders to prevent default, and provides guidance and advice on refinancing. 

Enterprise Community Partners has created a toolkit for organizations managing affordable housing, who themselves have been hit economically during the pandemic.

National Housing Trust and others have advocated for an extension to the CDC’s eviction moratorium. 

Northern Gateway CDC has delivered groceries to people in need in University Park and Langley Park.

Kaiser Permanente and CKAR have collaborated to support the Greater Riverdale community, including the creation of a refrigerated food distribution site using two tractor trailers that got a full makeover.

These efforts don’t go nearly far enough to address all of the needs in the Purple Line Corridor, but they are providing support to many. If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to our partners–they may be able to help! 

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