Gentrification = Evil, Ghettofication = Good? (New York, Newark: mortgage, lawyer, to buy)

[queensgrl]

Originally Posted by Ron.

I always say ask any black middle class person and ask any white middle person what are some of their biggest concerns, they' ll say the same things.

Such as:

Safe neighborhoods
Good schools
Career opportunities
Long term Financial security
Leaving something behind for their children
Rising taxes

People of similar backgrounds and education are one in the same as far as what they want in life.

Blacks and whites are more a like than not. That applies to whatever class they fall into.

That's right. People of similar backgrounds and education are one in the same as far as what they want in life. I am a native-born, black NYer and everything on your list is what I want, and it's the same for all of my friends, regardless of their race/ethnicity.

[jcoltrane]

Originally Posted by AllenDullesMJ12

All over the forum people are seeing gentrification as one of the biggest threats to communities or color. This belief is so extreme that some board members have wished for more gun violence and crime to occur so it could scare off hipsters and others who drive up prices.

What about the opposite? Many neighborhoods are seeing an emergence of crime, drugs and mayhem from people coming from the old ghettos. Business don't want to stay in places where flash mobs frequently rob them or where people are harassed by teens, so they move out. Families also leave, and the nabe stagnates, decays and becomes another hood.

This is occurring in the West Village. The city won't make any real effort to protect middle class and productive areas because they are not Times Square or Wall Street. I know people will come here and say overall crime is down, but what they don't want you to know is that violent assaults and robberies are up.

Chaos on Christopher: Iconic Village stretch overrun by drug dealers, prostitutes, violent youths

You are losing your mind!

The West Village as 'hood'. Absolutely preposterous. Stop watching TV!! It will rot your brain.

You do realize that the business of TV news is to sell commercials. The more eyeballs they get the more money they make. So, what do you think their incentive is? To find the most sensational bits of happenings they can, and if they can't, to hype what they have, and put onto TV to amaze the nit-wits. Mo' money, mo' money.

So, what is happening here? Two things, first this crap has been happening for decades now. The west village has developed quit nicely along the way. Second, I believe a lot of that on Christopher street is the reaction of black gay runaways and throwaways who are being displaced by Gentrification from a place they have occupied for at least a generation, actually more. There is no secret to what Christopher Street in and around the West Side Highway was, and I guess is still.

The problem for them is that the West Village and Christopher Street has and is becoming less gay and more gentrified yuppies. I mean, what the heck is a Dunkin Donuts doing there in the first place? It's the West Village for goodness sake!

So, its really a matter of change and resistance.

Not any ghettofication process.

Prejudice and ignorance will screw up your vision and your mind.

When 'they' (white kids) used to go 'batting' thru Washington Square, no screamed omg the area is going ghetto.

Poor, black, and confused (gay), with nowhere to go. Most of those kids were sexually abused at home. They along with others come from all over to congregate and commune in their sexuality on Christopher Street. As I said, its been apart of the city for decades. So has the occaisonal act out.

What's new?

[grigou]

^^ wow. at least your incoherent ramblings are entertaining to read.

[SobroGuy]

He made sense...although I am not 100% in agreement..but it makes sense.

[el77]

Lucky for us most of them are nomadic. They get old and at age 35 start realizing how stupid they look trying to live the cool cutting edge life and move on.

[scatman]

Originally Posted by stencil

Whenever this conversation comes up I want to know this: Why didn't people buy when things were affordable, before gentrification? If they did they'd own the places and no one would be driving up their rents. In fact, they'd be able to rent out a floor and make money off of the evil "invaders."

It's their bad for not buying when they could. They wouldn't be complaining if they were on the selling side of all this madness. In fact, many who DID buy back when are the ones selling and laughing all the way to Atlanta with a boatload of cash. Are you going to tell them not to sell?

How many people had the vision to see the future, with neighborhoods like Harlem and the LES changing the way it did? Not many!

[queensgrl]

Originally Posted by scatman

How many people had the vision to see the future, with neighborhoods like Harlem and the LES changing the way it did? Not many!

Well, I did, but I was studying this stuff in college back in the 80s and I have continued to follow changing neighborhood trends as a hobby.

I saw the beginning of change in Fort Greene in the late 70s, actually.

I think a lot of people knew ... the real question is if you knew, did you act on what you knew?

I didn't ... not a penny to my name back in the early 80s.

For those of you on here who are in your late 40s & 50s .. if there's anyone ... did you realize what was going on?

[twist07]

Originally Posted by el77

Lucky for us most of them are nomadic. They get old and at age 35 start realizing how stupid they look trying to live the cool cutting edge life and move on.

I actually have to agree, most of the transplants are transient and have no interest in putting down roots here because.....its too expensive (how ironic). But also they come from Suburban backgrounds and really can't fathom any other way of settling down. This doesn't include those who actually come here for the preference of an Urban Lifestyle. Those tend to stay put, but they are in the minority.

[Mr.Triny33]

Brooklyn gentrification meets resistance from longtime Latino residents in South Williamsburg

[SobroGuy]

This is the dumbest article I have seen in awhile. Where do I even begin...everywhere you see "Latino" replace with "white", and everywhere you see "Newcomers" or "Transplants" replace with Latino...then reread the article. It is now about whites trying to fight to keep Latinos out of their neighborhood....yet I don't think this would be viewed positively nor would $3 million in grant money be allocated to keep Latinos out of the neighborhood.

Furthermore, the idea that Latinos are "fighting" for "their" neighborhood is ludicrous...it is no more their nieghborhood than the whites before them. Why is it ok to "fight" for their neighborhood, but whites can't do the same lest they be viewed negatively or racist? Furthermore, why do they have a right to live in the neighborhood forever as a renter, at the rent they deem affordable? Why must the newcomers and transplants yield and become absorbed into their way of life/culture, when they didn't do that when they first moved in decades ago?

And what is their solution to this "evil white invasion"? A $3 million dollar grant to go door-to-door to help Latinos get more educated, healthier, and more cultured. Cuz really...all the city, public and private services already doing that is somehow not enough...you have to actually go door-to-door and give a pamphlet. WHAT A FARCE and monumental fleecing.