Linda Leaks started her housing organizing career as a tenant-activist in the early 1980s, working to hold her own negligent landlord accountable.  

That building became the L Street Cooperative, the first of the 16 apartment buildings that she would help to establish as limited equity cooperatives in the coming decades. 

In 1987, Linda joined Washington Innercity Self Help (WISH), a community organization founded by an association of 40 churches which advocated for the needs of poor and elderly DC residents between 1978 and 2003. 

WISH helped to form multiple housing cooperatives to stem the effects of gentrification that resulted in many Black and Brown people being forced out of their apartments.

Linda worked at WISH for 18 years, starting out as a tenant organizer, cooperative educator, and then becoming executive director. 

In the early 90’s Leaks helped residents of a 92-unit public housing development win ownership of their property as a limited equity housing cooperative.

Southern Homes and Gardens is believed to be the first instance of a HUD public housing project being converted into a resident-owned cooperative. 

In 2003, Leaks co-founded Empower D.C., an organization that continues to advocate for and promote the quality of life of low- and moderate-income DC residents. 

Leaks worked to strengthen DC’s tenants’ rights laws, fighting for the establishment of the District’s Housing Production Trust Fund, and the adoption of the Inclusionary Zoning Policy. 

Before retiring, Linda formed the Justice Advocacy Alliance to continue helping residents maintain housing.