The URA retaliated against an urban farmer for exercising her first amendment right to petition the government.
Pittsburgh, PA - The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) denied an urban farmer's business loan application solely because her nonprofit affiliate was engaged in unrelated litigation against the agency. We allege that denial is a violation of her constitutional rights, and it is now the subject of a federal lawsuit.
Ebony Lunsford-Evans, founder of Farmer Girl Eb LLC, had been in communication with the URA for months regarding a loan that would have provided her business financial support to relocate and revitalize her storefront, which offers locally grown produce, herbal wellness, and sustainable farming education. That project is now unfunded.
The URA sent Lunsford-Evans a letter expressly stating they would no longer consider her or her business for the loan program because her nonprofit affiliate was engaged in litigation with the entity. The litigation involves a separate property and a separate entity, entirely unrelated to Farmer Girl Eb's loan application.
The United States Constitution is clear that persons have the right to freedom of speech, including the right to seek legal counsel and petition their government for change in the court of law. The URA may have the discretion to deny a loan applicant for ineligibility, but they do not have the authority to weaponize the loan program as a tool for intimidating persons from exercising that right.
The URA's letter was a force of intimidation. It stated that "should the legal matter be resolved," the URA would reconsider Farmer Girl Eb for future applications, making explicit that the denial was conditional on her dropping the unrelated legal challenge.
Environmental lawyers from Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services and constitutional lawyers from O'Brien, Coleman & Wright are representing Farmer Girl Eb and have filed their complaint alleging retaliation in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
"Urban farmers and food entrepreneurs like Ebony are the backbone of community food systems,” said Kellie Wild, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council. "They cannot thrive when public agencies use their power to punish people for seeking justice. This is exactly the kind of institutional retaliation our food policy is designed to prevent. When advocacy comes at a cost, we lose the very voices our food system depends on to change.”
"Pittsburgh urban farmers have invested significant time and resources into the land in order to provide for their communities. It is deeply disappointing that the URA would retaliate against a farmer and small business owner who is simply seeking clarity from our courts around what rights our local urban farmers have when trying to purchase the properties they actively lease and farm. The Sampson Foundation stands with Farmer Girl Eb in seeking accountability for this retaliation.” - Rebecka Manglanathan Executive Director, Sampson Foundation
If you would like to support Ebony's business and work in the community, please visit FarmerGirlEb.com.
