occupy vacant schools.

[mopinko]

the city of chicago famously closed 42 schools this year. i have to think this is happening in other places.
i would really like to see occupy take over at least the grounds of these buildings.
i think they should all sprout community gardens come spring.
(they also would make excellent transitional and supportive housing, but that is a bigger nut to crack.)

[Joe Shlabotnik]

1. That is an excellent idea.

Schools belong to the public, and should be utilized for the productive purposes of the community. Commandeering 42 schools would be impractical, but re-purposing the most suitable few, based upon their locations and potential for giving back to the community might be doable.

Along with urban agriculture, an innovative corp of guerrilla engineers could establish an independent power grid and rudimentary plumbing, and discussion and teaching sustainable practices could become regular public clinics.

[mopinko]

2. sounds like my farm.

if there were schools closed near me i would be on it. but i did put a big in the ear of a local occupy person. there are things i can do to help. i just don't have time for driving around.

[Blanks]

3. We went to Detroit a couple of years ago...

They have a bunch of schools and they can be bought for a song.

There's a group in Kansas City that bought an old school and has a bunch of families getting back to the earth.

It's a very good idea. Although I don't think they should occupy them - they should be able to buy them.

The one that I was so intrigued by in Detroit was a high school on 20 acres.

[mopinko]

4. rahm has a policy of pricing public property based on the public good.

believe it or not. but we have a bunch of firehouses already on the block, and he has asked for proposals. sales for a buck to a good cause happen.

[Blanks]

5. That's what I don't understand...

There is real estate to be had in undesirable areas, if occupy were to obtain some of these properties and fly below the radar - I don't think it would take very long before they were doing some real good.

Just the amount of money spent in gasoline to drive to these events arounf the country costs more than it would cost to buy a building and set up a task force.

I think this is the direction that they need to go. This is something that I could see 'investing' in.