Urban farmer and “Farm City” author Novella Carpenter offered advice on squatting urban land and growing food on the vacant lots during an interview with On Point, a Boston area public radio show. Carpenter says that many vacant lot owners are biding their time until their properties increase in value, so by keeping a lot free of weeds, rotting mattresses and chip bags, you’ll be doing these slumlords a favor (word choice is mine, not Carpenter’s). She suggests setting up a liabilty contract to ease any worried landowners; more than likely, nothing will happen, but a contract releases them of fault if something were to happen.
If the lot isn’t privately owned – the city may be holding it for back taxes – you can contact you local government and get a community garden started. But whichever the case may be, Carpenter says you should go ahead and get started. By having something to show potential helpers/hinderers, the case you make for the land’s renewal will be visually stronger.
Oh yeah, Will Allen, who has deservedly become the urban farming talking head, is also interviewed by On Point.
