Dudley Square Neighborhood Initiative – Mission H

Established in the 1980s, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative emerged from a community ravaged by disinvestment, arson, and illegal dumping in Boston. Its mission is deeply rooted in empowering Dudley residents "to organize, plan for, create and control a vibrant, diverse and high-quality neighborhood." DSNI achieved a remarkable feat by gaining eminent domain authority, allowing it to acquire vacant land and place it into a community land trust, Dudley Neighbors Inc.

This pioneering move gave DNSI a shortcut to land acquisition and redistribution. DSNI's success is a testament to resident leadership, having transformed blighted areas into affordable housing, parks, gardens, and community facilities, fostering civic participation, economic opportunity, and strong community connections.

While DNSI share similar motives with the Humankind Land Trust (the "Trust"), key differences distinguish the two initiatives. The Trust goes deeper to eliminate the root causes which originally created the need for DNSI.

Feature	DNSI	The Trust
Scope	Boston, MA	Global
Operating Model	Buy and sell properties, while trying to develop bonds across local communities.	Operate a self-sustaining and ever-expanding land trust, without ever selling acquired land.
End Game	Maintaining a vibrant, diverse and high-quality neighborhood	Peace on Earth