Gentrification: be part of the solution, not part of the problem (Dallas, transportation)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So, the people impacted do not even own the property they are in? So there are people who want to create strategy to prevent property owners from making more money? There are people who want to create a strategy to keep areas poor and undesirable?
How about just create a desirable living area (as in entire city, state and country) for everyone, and eliminate all undesirable areas to live?
As for taxes, how about tackle the root of the problem, which is the screwed up way property taxes are? That problem is on the gov, and the people who elect the gov in.
Bad Gnome says "From what I've seen they have only been driven out of once cheap neighborhoods. "
That sounds like it is ok then to you.
I think the OP's whole point was he does not want to be a part of that system and I am glad.
I do not understand the attitude that if you are displacing the poor or working class it is ok and they can just move. Why are poor citizens less valued to many? They are not less valued to me. I heard all persons are created equal somewhere's.
Jade brought up some really good points.
The OP can join groups in whatever city they end up in that support affordable housing and other groups that address issues for the poor, working class.
I have seen Austin's changes since 1984 and in 1999 we considered moving to East Austin to get an older home. We gave it serious thought. I did not want to be a part of gentrifying it. I being white(more or less), middle class, my husband being Hispanic, middle class (his family from the Eastside originally) had a different mix than all white folks. Even we decided not to move there. I am glad because while the property is worth more the taxes would be painful to pay and seriously the hipster factor is sorta nauseating on the scale and pace it is happening.
I have seen in Ft. Worth (1993-1996) a nice mix of the poor and the gentrifiers co-existing and am not sure it still exists there but it was to a level were it helped the poor to get neighborhoods that were safer and the wealthy either got to keep their family homes or some fixer-upper types got good deals on decaying mansions or older starter homes. A balance is great.
Working for affordable housing helps a whole city this attitude that it only helps super poor or homeless has to change. It helps low income people. PEOPLE, fellow citizens. People who may have good hearts and good morals and values. I do not know why some people picture them as being all single, drug addicted men who are despicable. It is a lousy stereotype. It is often hard working families, people I love and call friends. I have friends some who are rich, some middle and some poor and I do not want to live in a city that does not have a good mix of people.
It is not a system but rather how our real estate market works. In order to bring new units to market and also to fix up old homes and apartments in disrepair it takes capital. There are homes in East Austin that have been condemned b/c they are unlivable. The only way any developer will build a new home is if he can recoup his costs for labor, materials and permits. There is no way he be will do this and be able to rent out the home for $600/mo. - the numbers just don't add up. Are you suggesting that developers become non-profits? Or do you want to subsidize them and add to our already high property taxes?
Sorry but if you have less resources you have less options in life. People with degrees who were born in the U.A.E. have more options than those with a second grade education from Uganda. Neither you nor I can rectify that situation.
All people are created equal but that does not mean that all outcomes will be equal. Some people work to maximize their incomes while others work to maximize their leisure time. It's their choice. I cannot afford to live in DT Austin or Tarrytown so should someone give me enough money so I can? Will you write me a frickin' six figure check so I can live in The Austonian?
Now the market is fair in that those selling their homes will get market prices.
Basically its the same as why people moved to suburbs. No one wants to live among high crime and drug problems. I agree it just a process of recovering urban areas for many to livable. Its not ilke they are going to takeover the entire urban city. Its much the complain of people in former small towns in beautiful areas with little industry since boomers started looking for them in retirement.
Personally, I am all for gentrification. When I lived in DC it was exciting to see the city finally recover from the riots and deurbanization. The new residents there value urban living in a way the preious residents did not. The new residents are less likely to own cars, more likely to use alternative transportation, consume less space, and demand walkable shops and grocery stores.
That said, some times gentrifies are just plain dumb. I have dear firends paying more to live in Crown Heights than an equal apartment would cost on the Upper West Side. I would never tell them they are making a bad choice, but anonymously I can tell you: they are making a bad choice. The transportation access, commute times, services, parks, etc are all much better on W 79th street than Nostrand Ave. They are paying money for the cache of walking to cool bars. At least that's how I see it.
We had some gentrification in one of the worst neighborhoods in town. It was the real estate boom so these houses in the absolute most dangerous part of Oakland, where drive bus were a nightly occurrence, were selling for $300-500k. Some people cashed out to the shiny new suburbs. Or exurbs. Hoping to escape the urban problems. Unfortunately some of those people brought their Oakland beefs with them and it wasn't the utopia they imagined. [this became a common occurrence in one of the popular exurbs, so now it has a reputation of being far and crime riddled. Gang Shootout Terrorizes Antioch Neighborhood « CBS San Francisco]
And it turned out the new neighborhood wasn't safer than the old one. It just had bigger homes.
I have seen this repeated many times as an Oakland resident and property manager.
Rented a 3 bedroom home to a single mom with 4 kids... she worked and her kids were in school.
Two years ago she gave notice to move and said the place was great... she just wanted to get out of Oakland... she moved to much newer 3 bedroom home in Vallejo... my home was built in the 1920's and her new home in the 1980's... it had A/C and a dishwasher.
Anyway, she said moving was a huge mistake and nothing like she had imagined.... she wants to move back to Oakland and finds rents have risen and is priced out... things they liked to do as a family like go to Lake Merrit or the Oakland Zoo are things they miss... they also miss their friends and worry everytime they leave their new home... she never had an alarm in Oakland and had to put one in at the new place after two breakins the first month they moved in.
Another family sold and moved to a very nice new home in Tracy... they are very unhappy with everything except their big home... and even then, paying for A/C all summer runs up their electric bill.
Another family moved to Antioch and if anything, there kids that attended Skyline in Oakland are constantly having problems in Antioch having to prove themselves.
Where they sending their kids to school while living in Oakland? I assume it's the norm not to have A/C in Oakland?
All the kids attended public schools with some being charter schools... there are many charter schools in Oakland.
It is true that Oakland public schools run from the bottom to the top in test scores.
The high school kids attended Skyline High School which is surrounded by million dollar plus homes... it's also the school Tom Hanks graduated from... just had to throw that in.
As for climate... Oakland has one of the best climates of a major city nationwide judged on the number of heating and cooling days.
I don't know anyone with A/C... just 15 minutes away, over the hill, it's the opposite... almost everyone has A/C
One negative is Oakland has a lot of older and smaller homes... there was a huge building boom in the 1920's. Many of these homes would be considered small today... 1200 to 1300 square feet is typical for craftsman bungalows.
Where they sending their kids to school while living in Oakland? I assume it's the norm not to have A/C in Oakland?
The weather is over 78 about 10 days a year. Being over 85 is really rare. Typically 2-3 days a year. So basically you only want AC for 1-2 weeks a year during a really really hot year. Summer is generally 72-75.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.