WASHINGTON - January 5 - Occupy Washington, DC at Freedom Plaza announced today that it is expanding its efforts this winter and building toward a massive American Spring.

The Occupation announced adding two houses – the Peace House located near 12th and M, NW; and a house in historic Mt. Rainer, MD. People moving into the houses will be working on specific projects: the National Occupation of Washington, DC which begins on March 30, Occupy the Economy, and a television show, among other projects.

“When we called for the occupation of Freedom Plaza in early June, we said this occupation would be “the beginning.” We saw the occupation of Freedom Plaza as a tactic, much like a lunch counter sit-in or Freedom Ride during the civil rights movement,” said Margaret Flowers, MD one of the organizers of Occupy Washington, DC. “Now it is time for the Occupation to add new programs to build the movement so it is strong enough to end corporate-rule and shift power to the people.”

“The intent of Occupy the Economy is to spotlight alternative economic models that give power to workers. As 2012 is the international year of the co-op, we will be focusing on creating worker-owned co-operatives to provide income to occupiers and funding for the movement,” said attorney Kevin Zeese, also an organizer of Occupy Washington, DC.

The National Occupation of Washington, DC will bring occupiers from across the United States to the nation’s capital beginning on March 30. The planning group already includes people from across the country. The event will be a combination of education, music and resistance.

The next step plans were developed over weeks of discussion on Freedom Plaza, including surveying all the occupiers about their interests and skills. Also involved in the decision-making was the on-line community of the Occupation. The full announcement, sent to the more than 12,000 person web community of Occupy Washington, DC, can be viewed at: Phase II Occupy Washington, DC Two Houses & Freedom Plaza, Occupy the Economy, NOW DC and More.