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Gardener urges council to protect community gardens from developers
Summary
A Cleveland gardener told City Council a developer tried to buy or coerce ownership of a community garden and asked the city to place protections around community gardens; he described gardens as safe havens and noted past support events held at his site.
Fauzi Badur, speaking during the March 31 public-comment period, asked Cleveland City Council and Mayor Justin Bibb to provide stronger protection for community gardens across the city, saying gardens serve as safe havens and community resources.
Badur recounted a recent phone call from a man who he said presented himself as a developer and asked to buy his garden at 9900 (Kudell), which Badur called an orchard and not for sale. He warned council that individuals and private interests sometimes attempt to acquire garden sites and asked for a "blanket of protection" for community gardens — whether city-owned or privately stewarded — to prevent displacement. Badur described gardens as places where people, including a canvasser who felt the garden was a safe haven, seek refuge and community. He also noted a press conference at his garden attended by former county officials and council members arranged by James Rukakis.
The remarks were made during public comment and no ordinance or referral to protect gardens was introduced during the meeting. Council did not record a response or action on garden protections in the March 31 transcript.
