Staking Our Claim: The Fight for Better Housing in the 1970s

"Staking Our Claim" takes readers on an inspiring journey through the turbulent 1970s, following Patrick Morrissy's quest to rebuild both urban neighborhoods and a sense of community in America's struggling cities.

Set against the backdrop of urban decline, economic instability, and racial tension, this powerful memoir chronicles how Morrissy and his dedicated band of tenant activists fought to preserve affordable housing and empower residents in Orange and East Orange, New Jersey.

When Morrissy purchases a dilapidated Victorian house in East Orange, he doesn't just embark on a renovation project-he creates a home base for a movement. Living communally with like-minded activists, he helps build grassroots organizations battling rising rents, neglectful landlords, and government policies that undermined urban neighborhoods. Their collective efforts lead to the creation of Shelterforce, a national publication connecting housing activists across the country, and the strengthening of tenant rights organizations fighting for economic justice.

Written with candor and warmth, Morrissy weaves together personal struggles and political awakening with the practical challenges of community organizing. Readers will be moved by his accounts of ordinary people coming together to take control of their housing circumstances-from Jackie Cooke organizing her neighbors on Lenox Avenue to Phyllis Salowe leading the charge for stronger rent control laws. Throughout, Morrissy reveals the profound impact that passionate individuals can have when they unite around a common cause.

"Staking Our Claim" is both a time capsule of a pivotal era in American history and a blueprint for contemporary community organizers. For anyone interested in grassroots activism, urban history, or the ongoing struggle for affordable housing, this memoir offers valuable lessons about the search for meaning, the power of collective action, and the enduring value of community in the face of economic hardship.