Educate me - why is gentrification bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

errr no. Lots of neighborhoods "in transition" have drive by shootings and higher -SES families moving in. In DC, there is a black middle class along with a white middle class, and other backgrounds in these areas. Please do not use white as code for high-SES when we all know rich black families exist, particularly in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing how we can have such a robust history in the US of creating "race neutral" policies that negatively impact Black people, but can't do the same to the benefit.

That's called structural racism.

Careful with that talk on this board. Don't you know these lily white educated professionals (and token black educated professionals who adopted lily white mannerisms) born into upper and upper middle class households worked for everything they ever got and never asked for a handout?! (Except for that small "loan" from their parents for a down payment that didn't charge interest or ruin your credit if you didn't pay it back)

Obviously structural racism doesn't exist because the 1% have never seen it.

Don’t you know that explaining away the success of others by pointing out your own failures (sorry your credit was ruined - it happens when you don’t pay up!!)’speaks to the core of what the problem is?

Working hard and paying your bills on your own is actually a GOOD thing. And, in this day and age, it is attainable for all looking to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gentrification only happens when long-term residents want to cash out. Why shouldn’t they be able to make more money via a home sake than they ever would working?

This has always been my question. If it's so bad, long-term residents don't have to move. They can stay and enjoy the benefits of gentrification. However, they want to cash out and move out. It's their choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing how we can have such a robust history in the US of creating "race neutral" policies that negatively impact Black people, but can't do the same to the benefit.

That's called structural racism.

Careful with that talk on this board. Don't you know these lily white educated professionals (and token black educated professionals who adopted lily white mannerisms) born into upper and upper middle class households worked for everything they ever got and never asked for a handout?! (Except for that small "loan" from their parents for a down payment that didn't charge interest or ruin your credit if you didn't pay it back)

Obviously structural racism doesn't exist because the 1% have never seen it.

Don’t you know that explaining away the success of others by pointing out your own failures (sorry your credit was ruined - it happens when you don’t pay up!!)’speaks to the core of what the problem is?

Working hard and paying your bills on your own is actually a GOOD thing. And, in this day and age, it is attainable for all looking to do it.

DP. This shouldn't be so hard. There are personal choices that we're responsible for. We make those choices within a complex structure that includes structural racism, classism, sexism, etc.

Good for you for making smart choices. Now can we look at structural issues so that we can all have the same shot when we make good choices?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing how we can have such a robust history in the US of creating "race neutral" policies that negatively impact Black people, but can't do the same to the benefit.

That's called structural racism.

Careful with that talk on this board. Don't you know these lily white educated professionals (and token black educated professionals who adopted lily white mannerisms) born into upper and upper middle class households worked for everything they ever got and never asked for a handout?! (Except for that small "loan" from their parents for a down payment that didn't charge interest or ruin your credit if you didn't pay it back)

Obviously structural racism doesn't exist because the 1% have never seen it.

Don’t you know that explaining away the success of others by pointing out your own failures (sorry your credit was ruined - it happens when you don’t pay up!!)’speaks to the core of what the problem is?

Working hard and paying your bills on your own is actually a GOOD thing. And, in this day and age, it is attainable for all looking to do it.

DP. This shouldn't be so hard. There are personal choices that we're responsible for. We make those choices within a complex structure that includes structural racism, classism, sexism, etc.

Good for you for making smart choices. Now can we look at structural issues so that we can all have the same shot when we make good choices?

Actually, due to social engineering we don’t all have the same shot. You can’t fix it thru policy. You can only fix it by keeping the government out of it other to enforce any-discrimination laws. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

I get tired of the low expectations of soft bigotry and misinformation. Grocers try to come in and provide healthy food in poor areas, but no one buys it, either because they view it as exotic or different, and even when it’s sold cheaper than organic food in wealthy areas. Look to Yes organic market in Anacostia or the store that took its place. The other issue is the overwhelming amount of shoplifting that comes with being the altruistic grocer to take a chance in underserved areas. At some point, there has to be a focus on self empowerment rather than complaining and demanding “the dc government needs to do something!!!l”. There are tons of Latino grocery stores, why is it those communities are able to put together a grocery store, but there is no sense of empowerment to take intiative and do the same in so called food desert Anacostia? Why is there always such a reliance and no sense of self directed effort to try and rectify the issue. I get that Anacostia ward 7 and 8 will probably gentrify themselves out of the issue in the next two decades, and new grocery stores will come in, but Jesus man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

I get tired of the low expectations of soft bigotry and misinformation. Grocers try to come in and provide healthy food in poor areas, but no one buys it, either because they view it as exotic or different, and even when it’s sold cheaper than organic food in wealthy areas. Look to Yes organic market in Anacostia or the store that took its place. The other issue is the overwhelming amount of shoplifting that comes with being the altruistic grocer to take a chance in underserved areas. At some point, there has to be a focus on self empowerment rather than complaining and demanding “the dc government needs to do something!!!l”. There are tons of Latino grocery stores, why is it those communities are able to put together a grocery store, but there is no sense of empowerment to take intiative and do the same in so called food desert Anacostia? Why is there always such a reliance and no sense of self directed effort to try and rectify the issue. I get that Anacostia ward 7 and 8 will probably gentrify themselves out of the issue in the next two decades, and new grocery stores will come in, but Jesus man.

Ward 7 resident here. Have you ever been to the Safeway on Minnesota Ave/Benning Rd? They stock rotting vegetables and expired meat, likely sent from stores in richer areas after they cannot be sold there. They only schedule one or two cashiers even at the busiest times and refuse to add self checkouts, so you wait in line for 45 minutes to check out. Then of course they trot out the same old tired excuse "but they don't want to buy fresh food" that you're using. Well no duh, why would I wait in line for 45 minutes to buy rotten vegetables and green meat? I'll drive to the Giant on H St where there are enough white people that they can't get away with that or if I don't have a car I'll go to the 7-11 where I can get a $1 pizza slice or chicken wings without waiting forever in line and the cycle perpetuates itself.

And seriously, Yes Organic Market? You're gonna cite the store where everything costs 5x as much as Safeway as the reason why fresh food isn't viable? "Well they didn't want to spend $18 on a jackfruit so clearly they don't deserve vegetables?" And don't even get me started on your "well those poors would just steal everything anyway" and "anything that's not a potato or carrot is too exotic for those simpletons" nonsense.

You're an ignorant bigot and you have no place in civil society.

[Anonymous]

I think there is a fine line. Improved services and safety benefit everyone, including longtime residents, but then it often progresses to the point that those very people are driven out by the high prices. I don’t know of communities that successfully straddled that line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

I get tired of the low expectations of soft bigotry and misinformation. Grocers try to come in and provide healthy food in poor areas, but no one buys it, either because they view it as exotic or different, and even when it’s sold cheaper than organic food in wealthy areas. Look to Yes organic market in Anacostia or the store that took its place. The other issue is the overwhelming amount of shoplifting that comes with being the altruistic grocer to take a chance in underserved areas. At some point, there has to be a focus on self empowerment rather than complaining and demanding “the dc government needs to do something!!!l”. There are tons of Latino grocery stores, why is it those communities are able to put together a grocery store, but there is no sense of empowerment to take intiative and do the same in so called food desert Anacostia? Why is there always such a reliance and no sense of self directed effort to try and rectify the issue. I get that Anacostia ward 7 and 8 will probably gentrify themselves out of the issue in the next two decades, and new grocery stores will come in, but Jesus man.

In fairness to PP, what you described could have been several of the Safeways that I used to shop at in white neighborhoods. You're giving me flashbacks to the Soviet Safeway circa 2005.


Ward 7 resident here. Have you ever been to the Safeway on Minnesota Ave/Benning Rd? They stock rotting vegetables and expired meat, likely sent from stores in richer areas after they cannot be sold there. They only schedule one or two cashiers even at the busiest times and refuse to add self checkouts, so you wait in line for 45 minutes to check out. Then of course they trot out the same old tired excuse "but they don't want to buy fresh food" that you're using. Well no duh, why would I wait in line for 45 minutes to buy rotten vegetables and green meat? I'll drive to the Giant on H St where there are enough white people that they can't get away with that or if I don't have a car I'll go to the 7-11 where I can get a $1 pizza slice or chicken wings without waiting forever in line and the cycle perpetuates itself.

And seriously, Yes Organic Market? You're gonna cite the store where everything costs 5x as much as Safeway as the reason why fresh food isn't viable? "Well they didn't want to spend $18 on a jackfruit so clearly they don't deserve vegetables?" And don't even get me started on your "well those poors would just steal everything anyway" and "anything that's not a potato or carrot is too exotic for those simpletons" nonsense.

You're an ignorant bigot and you have no place in civil society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

I get tired of the low expectations of soft bigotry and misinformation. Grocers try to come in and provide healthy food in poor areas, but no one buys it, either because they view it as exotic or different, and even when it’s sold cheaper than organic food in wealthy areas. Look to Yes organic market in Anacostia or the store that took its place. The other issue is the overwhelming amount of shoplifting that comes with being the altruistic grocer to take a chance in underserved areas. At some point, there has to be a focus on self empowerment rather than complaining and demanding “the dc government needs to do something!!!l”. There are tons of Latino grocery stores, why is it those communities are able to put together a grocery store, but there is no sense of empowerment to take intiative and do the same in so called food desert Anacostia? Why is there always such a reliance and no sense of self directed effort to try and rectify the issue. I get that Anacostia ward 7 and 8 will probably gentrify themselves out of the issue in the next two decades, and new grocery stores will come in, but Jesus man.

In fairness to PP, what you described could have been several of the Safeways that I used to shop at in white neighborhoods. You're giving me flashbacks to the Soviet Safeway circa 2005.


Ward 7 resident here. Have you ever been to the Safeway on Minnesota Ave/Benning Rd? They stock rotting vegetables and expired meat, likely sent from stores in richer areas after they cannot be sold there. They only schedule one or two cashiers even at the busiest times and refuse to add self checkouts, so you wait in line for 45 minutes to check out. Then of course they trot out the same old tired excuse "but they don't want to buy fresh food" that you're using. Well no duh, why would I wait in line for 45 minutes to buy rotten vegetables and green meat? I'll drive to the Giant on H St where there are enough white people that they can't get away with that or if I don't have a car I'll go to the 7-11 where I can get a $1 pizza slice or chicken wings without waiting forever in line and the cycle perpetuates itself.

And seriously, Yes Organic Market? You're gonna cite the store where everything costs 5x as much as Safeway as the reason why fresh food isn't viable? "Well they didn't want to spend $18 on a jackfruit so clearly they don't deserve vegetables?" And don't even get me started on your "well those poors would just steal everything anyway" and "anything that's not a potato or carrot is too exotic for those simpletons" nonsense.

You're an ignorant bigot and you have no place in civil society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

I get tired of the low expectations of soft bigotry and misinformation. Grocers try to come in and provide healthy food in poor areas, but no one buys it, either because they view it as exotic or different, and even when it’s sold cheaper than organic food in wealthy areas. Look to Yes organic market in Anacostia or the store that took its place. The other issue is the overwhelming amount of shoplifting that comes with being the altruistic grocer to take a chance in underserved areas. At some point, there has to be a focus on self empowerment rather than complaining and demanding “the dc government needs to do something!!!l”. There are tons of Latino grocery stores, why is it those communities are able to put together a grocery store, but there is no sense of empowerment to take intiative and do the same in so called food desert Anacostia? Why is there always such a reliance and no sense of self directed effort to try and rectify the issue. I get that Anacostia ward 7 and 8 will probably gentrify themselves out of the issue in the next two decades, and new grocery stores will come in, but Jesus man.

Ward 7 resident here. Have you ever been to the Safeway on Minnesota Ave/Benning Rd? They stock rotting vegetables and expired meat, likely sent from stores in richer areas after they cannot be sold there. They only schedule one or two cashiers even at the busiest times and refuse to add self checkouts, so you wait in line for 45 minutes to check out. Then of course they trot out the same old tired excuse "but they don't want to buy fresh food" that you're using. Well no duh, why would I wait in line for 45 minutes to buy rotten vegetables and green meat? I'll drive to the Giant on H St where there are enough white people that they can't get away with that or if I don't have a car I'll go to the 7-11 where I can get a $1 pizza slice or chicken wings without waiting forever in line and the cycle perpetuates itself.

And seriously, Yes Organic Market? You're gonna cite the store where everything costs 5x as much as Safeway as the reason why fresh food isn't viable? "Well they didn't want to spend $18 on a jackfruit so clearly they don't deserve vegetables?" And don't even get me started on your "well those poors would just steal everything anyway" and "anything that's not a potato or carrot is too exotic for those simpletons" nonsense.

You're an ignorant bigot and you have no place in civil society.

In fairness to PP, what you described could have been several of the Safeways that I used to shop at in white neighborhoods. You're giving me flashbacks to the Soviet Safeway circa 2005.

(Sorry for the duplicate posts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone that has lived in DC for more than a decade can tell you the sad fact that the moment a neighborhood stopped having drive by shootings, in came the white people.

The only way for poor black people to live here is in unsafe, grocery food-deserts. It sucks for them.

Well there’s a stereotype if I ever read one. Wow! Just wow!

I get tired of the low expectations of soft bigotry and misinformation. Grocers try to come in and provide healthy food in poor areas, but no one buys it, either because they view it as exotic or different, and even when it’s sold cheaper than organic food in wealthy areas. Look to Yes organic market in Anacostia or the store that took its place. The other issue is the overwhelming amount of shoplifting that comes with being the altruistic grocer to take a chance in underserved areas. At some point, there has to be a focus on self empowerment rather than complaining and demanding “the dc government needs to do something!!!l”. There are tons of Latino grocery stores, why is it those communities are able to put together a grocery store, but there is no sense of empowerment to take intiative and do the same in so called food desert Anacostia? Why is there always such a reliance and no sense of self directed effort to try and rectify the issue. I get that Anacostia ward 7 and 8 will probably gentrify themselves out of the issue in the next two decades, and new grocery stores will come in, but Jesus man.

Ward 7 resident here. Have you ever been to the Safeway on Minnesota Ave/Benning Rd? They stock rotting vegetables and expired meat, likely sent from stores in richer areas after they cannot be sold there. They only schedule one or two cashiers even at the busiest times and refuse to add self checkouts, so you wait in line for 45 minutes to check out. Then of course they trot out the same old tired excuse "but they don't want to buy fresh food" that you're using. Well no duh, why would I wait in line for 45 minutes to buy rotten vegetables and green meat? I'll drive to the Giant on H St where there are enough white people that they can't get away with that or if I don't have a car I'll go to the 7-11 where I can get a $1 pizza slice or chicken wings without waiting forever in line and the cycle perpetuates itself.

And seriously, Yes Organic Market? You're gonna cite the store where everything costs 5x as much as Safeway as the reason why fresh food isn't viable? "Well they didn't want to spend $18 on a jackfruit so clearly they don't deserve vegetables?" And don't even get me started on your "well those poors would just steal everything anyway" and "anything that's not a potato or carrot is too exotic for those simpletons" nonsense.

You're an ignorant bigot and you have no place in civil society.

My understanding about supermarket deserts is it has to do with security--physical and loss prevention. I have seen the supermarkets and drug stores in his SES areas in DC get 'rushed', and there is zero the hourly guard can do about it legally. They are simply decoration. However, this happens less in high SES neighborhoods thankfully. Supermarkets are not charities; the city should work on bringing high quality supermarkets into deserts--but they will have to address the security concerns, period. Perhaps put community police 'kiosks' inside them. There is a reason all the mom and pops have grills up; no one wants to live like that including the decent citizens who just want to shop for nice produce an live healthfully in these desert neighborhoods, so they should be advocating for the city to partner with supermarkets as well. Have you talked to your ANC or CouncilMember? Called the Mayor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Did you watch Residue?! It was terrible!! I don’t know what this movie was trying to prove other than that some film student from LA wanted to make a statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Did you watch Residue?! It was terrible!! I don’t know what this movie was trying to prove other than that some film student from LA wanted to make a statement.

Should the title of this thread be "Educate me--why are gentrification movies bad?"