Is PG County suffering from the gentrification of DC

[No_Allegiance]

Originally Posted by nanoscale

about ten years ago, urban planners in DC complained vociferously about the District's burden of poverty in such a small jurisdictional area to the benefit of Maryland, who was not shouldering "enough" in the minds of interested District stakeholders. I'll have to root around to find some minutes from the appropriate meetings, but I remember this argument well during the period of intensive condo-building and revitalization downtown.

As it was a stated goal of urban planners in the District to share the burden (or offload, depending on your perspective) of poverty with nearby Maryland, I wouldn't doubt that the endeavor has been successful in a statistical sense...But a net transfer of poverty to nearby MD inner-ring is a sensible hypothesis to start with.

I would be very interested seeing minutes where this was stated, because I've personally felt that this has been a part of DC's efforts for years. Ward 9 essentially is a reference to the fluidity that a large number of the poor from Wards 7 and 8 and even other parts of DC move back and forth between close-in Prince George's and DC. But with the development that has taken place in Columbia Heights and now happening in Shaw and along the New York Avenue corridor, DC is moving to make the flow back and forth less possible, leaving more of that population unable to return, in most cases to the detriment of Prince George's.

[fortwashingtonkid]

Originally Posted by No_Allegiance

I would be very interested seeing minutes where this was stated, because I've personally felt that this has been a part of DC's efforts for years. Ward 9 essentially is a reference to the fluidity that a large number of the poor from Wards 7 and 8 and even other parts of DC move back and forth between close-in Prince George's and DC. But with the development that has taken place in Columbia Heights and now happening in Shaw and along the New York Avenue corridor, DC is moving to make the flow back and forth less possible, leaving more of that population unable to return, in most cases to the detriment of Prince George's.

I see Berwyn Heights, cottage city, Colmar Manor, Mt. Rainier and historic Hyattsville maybe losing their small stronghold of good law abiding citizens inside the loop. Those areas are very enticing to buy in because the nice little houses are affordable and the streets are relatively safe compared to the rest of the area (inside the beltway). I'm afraid that they are absorbing some bad elements from the "exodus" of DC. It's hard to tell but if these neighborhoods don't fall victim they might be a gold mine right now. Serious gold mine.

Houses in the nice part of DC right over the line from Berwyn Hghts. and Cottage City are very expensive, like $200,000 more expensive. Prices are falling so fast that I'm not sure it's much of a risk to invest in the right property there. Anyone know if these neighborhoods are getting better or worse?

[nanoscale]

Originally Posted by fortwashingtonkid

I see Berwyn Heights, cottage city, Colmar Manor, Mt. Rainier and historic Hyattsville maybe losing their small stronghold of good law abiding citizens inside the loop. Those areas are very enticing to buy in because the nice little houses are affordable and the streets are relatively safe compared to the rest of the area (inside the beltway). I'm afraid that they are absorbing some bad elements from the "exodus" of DC. It's hard to tell but if these neighborhoods don't fall victim they might be a gold mine right now. Serious gold mine.

Houses in the nice part of DC right over the line from Berwyn Hghts. and Cottage City are very expensive, like $200,000 more expensive. Prices are falling so fast that I'm not sure it's much of a risk to invest in the right property there. Anyone know if these neighborhoods are getting better or worse?

Berwyn Heights has too many univ professors/staff + part of the Eleanor Roosevelt district to fall to seed quickly.

Colmar/Cottage City -- could go either way. The area needs to get serious about pooling resources into something like the Port Towns redevelopment concept,

Home

There is tremendous potential. I bike the Anacostia Trails all the time, and I'm in the area suprisingly often. The worst is Bladensburg, esp east of Kenilworth. I've met older people (boomers) who went to Bladensburg HS and they will never return, not even for a brief visit. I've been at the marina when local schools bring the kids for a field trip. They need to build up that area with more activities for kids to keep them out of trouble. The problem is that there's a reason the Port of Bladensburg no longer exists -- the silting. There is no depth to the marina, and all the boats are flat-bottom. I see dirt dunes more often than not.

I mentioned this in another thread. This summer, I was biking early morning (still dark) from Sligo/MoCO back to College Park. I had just made the turn off of NW Branch to NE Branch

The Anacostia Tributary Trails

when I saw a vehicle with very bright lights facing me, which is very unusual as the trail is narrow and monitored by M-NCPPC police on horseback. As I approached the vehicle (w/ trepidation), the floodlight was turned off, and I realized it was PG Police. The officer's window came down when he realized I was just a biker, and he asked me (I'm totally serious): "While you were down there, did you hear gun shots?"

That junction is basically either (in or w/ quick access to) Hyattsville/Mt Ranier/Cottage City - Brentwood. I find that people on this forum exaggerate a bit about safety -- I've been biking the area for ten years w/o a single incident save the above. So what I would say is that no, it's not going to be trouble-free, and you always have to be alert with little margin for error. I take no chances, ever. I don't loiter; don't wear conspicuous valuables; not rocking the iPod; make sure my bike is always in good shape; split my money/valuables, just in case. But I don't fear for my life, haven't been robbed, and see a lot of families out and about from families at the baseball fields in Riverdale, to families enjoying a walk along the levee near the Edmonston pumping station.

I think if you have kids the area is not attractive due to the school system and the excessive loitering by teens.

One thing I don't see people mentioning: when you are looking for a house in this area, check on the history of flooding in the area. This is the Anacostia floodplain, and a lot of areas are susceptible.