Educate me - why is gentrification bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me beat everyone else to the punch.

NIMBYs will say gentrification is bad, but will use it as an excuse to oppose any new housing in their neighborhoods, which are *already wealthy*

YIMBYs will say gentrification is unavoidable, but that housing would be more affordable if only they just built more of it. This inevitably means flooding the market with *their* particular brand of housing, luxury single bedroom apartments geared towards high earning single transient young professionals. Among other amenities that white millennials like but nobody else uses.

This isn’t true. I am a white Gen X resident of an already wealthy neighborhood, and I’d like to see actually affordable housing built nearby, as much of it as possible, ideally paid for by the city government directly.

Agree. But then sold at a low cost to poor people. Like Manna but by the government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suggest watching the movie "Residue" to get a feel for what it looks like from someone else's view. I think it's on Netflix.

That’s ok. I don’t use movies for a basis in reality. But you do you.

[Anonymous]

Low income housing that is "Paid by the city government" - is actually paid by = TAXPAYORS.

It is odd that folks on this thread don't seem to realize that taxes are how the government, you know, pays for stuff!

And no, I don't want property values coming down - while taxes are being raised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Low income housing that is "Paid by the city government" - is actually paid by = TAXPAYORS.

It is odd that folks on this thread don't seem to realize that taxes are how the government, you know, pays for stuff!

And no, I don't want property values coming down - while taxes are being raised.

I'd rather have my taxes go up and my property value "coming down" because there's taxpayer-funded low-income housing built next door to my house than live next to someone with your attitude.

[Anonymous]

Sure. Until it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long term residents should benefit when property values go up, but a variety of government and private actions have prevented Black people in particular from building wealth, which means they don't own their homes.

Then neighborhoods become desirable and White people move in. And they transform the neighborhood they move into through not just displacement but also culturally - e.g. complaining about Donald Campbell's go-go music.

Until you fix the theft of generations of wealth from Black people gentrification will always just be perpetuating that theft.

But what makes the neighborhoods desirable? Isn't it when the "long term residents" with a predilection for crime and violence and other anti-social pathologies move out, so it's suddenly safe -- safer -- for families to contemplate removing the bars from every window and start a family, and for small businesses to open without fear of constant theft and violence?

The long-term residents on my block who moved out did NOT have a "predilection for crime and violence." Talk about making sweeping generalizations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Low income housing that is "Paid by the city government" - is actually paid by = TAXPAYORS.

It is odd that folks on this thread don't seem to realize that taxes are how the government, you know, pays for stuff!

And no, I don't want property values coming down - while taxes are being raised.

I'd rather have my taxes go up and my property value "coming down" because there's taxpayer-funded low-income housing built next door to my house than live next to someone with your attitude.

Why dont you buy your residence in a less expensive area
? There are many area in DC with public housing and near metro
Stations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It displaces the poor & redevelops interesting historical neighborhoods into bland shopping districts. But yes there are upsides.

This is someone who never walked 14th and 16th streets in the 80s, when they were STILL burned out from the riots. Unkess boarded upmwindows and blowing trash are "historically interesting"?

I worked in Navy Yard in 2002-2005, anyone who thinks that was a "interesting historical neighborhood" must have done a lot of crack there.

[Anonymous]

This TEDx talk by someone who grew up in Petworth might be of interest, OP.

https://www.popville.com/2021/01/tedx-talk-about-gentrification-in-petworth-by-professor-tanya-golash-boza-who-grew-up-there/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Low income housing that is "Paid by the city government" - is actually paid by = TAXPAYORS.

It is odd that folks on this thread don't seem to realize that taxes are how the government, you know, pays for stuff!

And no, I don't want property values coming down - while taxes are being raised.

I'd rather have my taxes go up and my property value "coming down" because there's taxpayer-funded low-income housing built next door to my house than live next to someone with your attitude.

Why dont you buy your residence in a less expensive area
? There are many area in DC with public housing and near metro
Stations.

Because it's better for more people if we build affordable housing in expensive areas than it is if (a) I move to an inexpensive area and raise market rates there or (b) affordable housing stays concentrated in one place. Also, it's better for me if my neighbors aren't selfish jerks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure. Until it happens.

Well, let's try it and see, and if I wind up hating it, you can say you told me so. Seems like that's better than just not trying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It displaces the poor & redevelops interesting historical neighborhoods into bland shopping districts. But yes there are upsides.

This is someone who never walked 14th and 16th streets in the 80s, when they were STILL burned out from the riots. Unkess boarded upmwindows and blowing trash are "historically interesting"?

I worked in Navy Yard in 2002-2005, anyone who thinks that was a "interesting historical neighborhood" must have done a lot of crack there.

I guess it depends how you define interesting

[Anonymous]

It sure does make you wonder what we white people are supposed to do. If we move into the city, we are gentrifiers. If we move out, we are white flighters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sure does make you wonder what we white people are supposed to do. If we move into the city, we are gentrifiers. If we move out, we are white flighters.

Move wherever is appropriate for you. Fight to help others be able to do the same, especially if they've been disadvantaged by systemic racist policies. Fight for them to have a voice in government policies and actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suggest watching the movie "Residue" to get a feel for what it looks like from someone else's view. I think it's on Netflix.

That’s ok. I don’t use movies for a basis in reality. But you do you.

Any movies? No documentaries? Odd. You're missing out on some great opportunities to learn something from people with student experiences than you.