On Tuesday, April 12, 2005 at 5:30 PM a large group of Jamaica Plain neighbors and leaders will gather in front of the Blessed Sacrament Church at  365 Centre St. in Jamaica Plain. The Blessed Sacrament Church, long a Jamaica Plain landmark, was closed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston last year.

The neighborhood rally for community control of development, affordable housing, diversity and community benefits is being organized by the Hyde Square Task Force, City-Life/Vida Urbana, and Hyde/Jackson Square Main Streets.

The purpose of the gathering is to draw attention to the Blessed Sacrament Church and campus, a 3.5 acre prime real estate property, that is scheduled to be sold by the Boston Archdiocese on the next day, Wednesday, April 13th. The Blessed Sacrament Church campus is one of the most valuable of all current Catholic Church properties that are being put on the real estate market.

Community residents overwhelming want the Church to make a commitment to sell the property to a developer that is willing to build affordable housing at the site and work with local residents to insure maximum community benefits.   Over 1,100 signatures that support affordable housing on this site have been collected in the last few weeks by housing activists.

Tenants, homeowners, teens, local business owners and others will speak out at the rally on the need for a development plan that fits into the diverse community of Hyde/Jackson Square, provides a maximum number of affordable housing units, and helps to stop a wave of gentrification that is threatening the rich fabric of this predominantly Latino neighborhood.