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William Tinker (wtinker@fcgnetworks.net)
Wed, 10 Nov 1999 21:24:48 -0500

Squatters of Loisaida, friends of Blackout Books (New York City)

There are many squatted buildings in New York City. According to information compiled by New York City's department of Housing Preservation and Development, and obtained through use of the Freedom of Information Act, there are at least forty squatted homesteads in the city. Ten of them are in Brooklyn, twelve are in the Bronx, and the remaining eighteen are on the Island of the Manhattoes. All but four of those eighteen are located in the neighborhoods surrounding Blackout Books.

ABC No Rio is located in a formerly squatted building. The squats are practical solutions to the shortage of affordable housing, and they revive and enrich the quality and character of the neighborhood. The collective, networked character of Squat on the Net -- a project of some NYC squatters -- is typical of the squats here in Loisaida. And yet all the squats exist under the constant threat of eviction by a city government (it doesn't appear to matter if it is staffed by Democrats or Republicans) that is consistently in the pocket of real estate developers and adamantly opposed to the type of direct action engaged in and publicized by the squatters.

Evictions have taken place at the following locations -

East 13th Street in May 1995 (see The Shadow and High Times) and again in August 1996 (see NOT BORED! and High Times)

East Fifth Street in February 1997 (see Fifth Street Squat)

Dos Blocos on East Ninth Street in April 1999.

Undaunted, we are happy to make available a guide entitled "How to squat", a building and information about adverse possesion and orders to vacate.

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