The DSNI Model & Working for Change - Holding Ground Productions

About the Theme

“DSNI allows residents to demand the best and build the partnerships that work for them.”

John Barros

“We want to help get the residents what they need. But not by doing it for them. By helping the residents to organize to do it for themselves.”

Alicia Mooltrey

“We believe that everyone in the neighborhood is an organizer. Everyone in the neighborhood is an agent for change.”

John Barros

houses, greenhouse

DSNI is frequently described as exceptional because it is the only community organization to get the power of eminent domain; has an unusual, if not unique, memorandum of agreement with the city that allows it to conduct the public planning process for disposition of city land in a portion of its footprint; and started one of the first urban land trusts.

These specifics are good examples of the success of DSNI’s emphasis on structural change. It has continued to place central importance on community planning and organizing to achieve community control. DSNI has resisted the temptation to become a developer, despite its involvement with real estate, because it would distract from its community organizing mission. For instance, it could not fulfill its role as convener of a community land use process with integrity if it wanted to bid on the resulting project.

The organization has remained committed to open community processes and its democratic governance structure even though maintaining a large multilingual membership and a directly elected board is a significant commitment of time and resources. And throughout, it has kept doing community organizing and planning even while the neighborhood changes. In fact, it is this dedicated planning and organizing capacity through DSNI that has given the Dudley neighborhood something that few communities have—the ability to conduct its own business and to integrate the activities of many into a whole.

Another core feature of DSNI’s model is collaboration. The DSNI board of directors is a community-only, community-representative, resident-led body elected by the community in open elections every two years. It includes all the stakeholder groups—nonprofit organizations, religious institutions, businesses, and residents—with a majority of residents, including those 15 years and older. In this way, DSNI seeks to bring together the community’s efforts for maximum cooperation and impact. As planners and organizers, DSNI must have implementation partners in order for anything to happen.

This commitment to organizing and empowerment underlies every section of Gaining Ground.

“I’m learning to be patient. I’m learning that things take time. Being patient has made me feel more empowered to make change.”

Alicia Mooltrey

Questions for Class Discussion

How do DSNI’s dedicated roles as community planner and organizer compare to other community organizations you may have been part of, volunteered with, interned for, or worked for? What about DSNI’s values?
Many people have said DSNI is unique and cannot really be replicated. Are there conditions represented in the Dudley neighborhood or DSNI that do not exist elsewhere? What examples do you see of approaches or activities that other communities might learn from or adopt?
“We have the right to shape the development of all plans, programs and policies likely to affect the quality of our lives as neighborhood residents.”
—DSNI Declaration of Community Rights

DSNI states as community rights things that many community organizations would state as goals. How does this sit with you? Do you think this choice affects how the organization operates?
It’s one thing to declare the right to make decisions. It’s another thing to have the tools, information and processes to make good decisions. How has DSNI addressed this?
Given that DSNI sometimes had to battle government and other authority figures, how might you, if you go to work in those spheres, support the work of groups like DSNI? How, as a professional, could you work to overcome the suspicion and lack of trust that has sometimes built up between “outside” professionals and resident leaders?

Notes for Educators/Facilitators

Class discussion on this theme in particular can vary greatly depending on the experience level of students and the course subject.

For graduate students in planning and related professions, emphasize the importance to DSNI of the resident voice and organizing. Ask them to consider themselves as a planner with an idea they are very attached to and believe will help an area meeting resistance or rejection from a group like DSNI. How would they react? Challenge them to examine what assumptions they might have about low-income neighborhoods that weigh into their work.
What are ways that planners can facilitate the ability of neighborhood residents to participate fully and productively in planning and land use decisions?
For sociology/history classes, consider putting DSNI in the context of larger movements for civil rights, redlining and segregation, urban renewal, land control, and current trends surrounding concentrations of poverty and gentrification pressures. Related reading could include Mindy Fullilove’s Root Shock.
For community development courses, you may want to focus in on DSNI’s choice not to follow the standard route of becoming a nonprofit real estate developer, and the implications of that choice. Here is a quote from a forthcoming Land Lines article about that choice:

DSNI stepped in as the developer on DNI’s first project after the original developer backed out, and it was “traumatic” for staff and board, says [DNI director] Smith. “It took so much time. It distracted DSNI from its core functions.” He adds, “It’s important to be explicit: If you do development work, it will take away time from organizing. The reason that’s bad,” he adds, is that organizing is cumulative. It takes years, and “a lot of sacrifice . . . to form a truly representative, neighborhood-based organization. If you cut corners, you can risk jeopardizing a lot of power you’ve built up over the years.”

Along with time limitations, development and organizing also have different bottom lines, different things they can and can’t sacrifice.

film clips on DSNI governance

2:10-2:40 – DSNI annual meeting

2:40-3:15 – Board elections

7:20-8:45 – 1991 DSNI board election (involving youth leadership)

53:50-54:50 – Board Elections

Holding Ground Productions Gaining Ground Movie

Back to All Themes
The DSNI Model & Working for Change

About the Theme

“DSNI allows residents to demand the best and build the partnerships that work for them.”

“We want to help get the residents what they need. But not by doing it for them. By helping the residents to organize to do it for themselves.”

“We believe that everyone in the neighborhood is an organizer. Everyone in the neighborhood is an agent for change.”

“I’m learning to be patient. I’m learning that things take time. Being patient has made me feel more empowered to make change.”

Questions for Class Discussion

Further Reading/Watching

Notes for Educators/Facilitators