Linda Leaks
Co-Founder
Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community Cooperative
Linda Leaks fought for housing justice in Washington, DC for 35 years. An educator and an organizer, she showed apartment renters how to form cooperatives in their buildings. Leaks supported the development of 13 co-ops in 16 years, including the first cooperative in the U.S. formed by public housing tenants.
Congratulatory Listings
Congratulations to Linda Leaks, DC's own Cooperative Housing (S)Hero!
​Linda’s commitment to affordable, safe and consistent housing in the nation’s capital has spanned nearly half a century; she’s helped hundreds of tenants purchase their buildings to form multiple limited-equity cooperatives and helped thousands with other housing justice issues. Linda embodies the collective leadership ideals of the co-op she calls home: the Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community Cooperative.
Thanks to Linda Leaks and Other WISH Staff for Saving Affordable Housing.
Washington Innercity Self Help was the only support that many black and brown people had to save their apartments from the wave of gentrification in the 1990s. Founded by 40 local churches, WISH converted 30 apartment buildings into limited equity housing cooperatives. Respect and appreciation to Linda Leaks from the other WISH Staff:
Paul Battle
Martha Davis
Benito Diaz
Rozanne Look
Dominic Moulden
Andy Waxman
Sending Love to our Shero, Linda Leaks!
We join in celebration of Linda Leaks, co-founder of Empower DC, upon her induction into the National Co-op Hall of Fame! Linda, thank you for your incredible contribution to the creation of cooperative housing, community power and a more just and equitable world. We love you!
Monarc is a full-service general contractor offering services from small MEP projects to multifamily new builds. Developers, Diplomatic Missions, and Nonprofits turn to us because they know we will deliver a quality project through collaboration that builds lasting relationships.
DC Housing Co-ops Congratulate Linda Leaks
Linda Leaks, thank you for many years of dedication and sacrifice to teach and work with us to create affordable homeownership. Thank you for helping us save ourselves from gentrification and build great communities. Congratulations!
Spirit of W Street Cooperative
Malcolm X Court Cooperative
1425 T Street Cooperative
Voice of Madison Cooperative
Mandela Cooperative
Nehemiah Cooperative Estates
We Still Have a Dream Cooperative
Harriet Tubman Cooperative
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God is in Control at 1256 Cooperative
Champlain Court Cooperative
LDJ Cooperative
1327 Kenyon Street Cooperative
Florian Gardens Cooperative
919 L Street Cooperative
Southern Homes and Gardens Co-op
Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community Co-op
Friends of Linda Leaks
Ajowa Nzinga Ifateyo
Amanda Huron
Andrea Woody Macko
Brianne Nadeau
Cassandra Burton
Christina Clamp
Doug O'Brien
Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community Co-op
Evelyn Morse
Imani Woody Macko
James Wadsworth
Jessica A. Rucker
Joni Eisenberg
Jessica Gordon Nembhard
Karen Zimbelman
Loretta Parker-Brown
Margaret Lund
Martha Davis
Marty Langelan
Mary Griffin
Mary Lisbon
Michelle L Schry
Nicole Clark
Patricia Kinch
Rozanne Look
Sczerina Perot
Takada Harris
Tania Abdulahad
Tereguebode Goungou
Woullard Lett
Linda Leaks
Honoring and Planning Committee
Ajowa Ifateyo
Dominic Moulden
Martha Davis
Patricia Kinch
Nominated by:
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Ajowa Ifateyo
Co-Founder
Ella Jo Baker Intentional Community Co-op