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Really? So there's actually gentrification taking place in Anacostia (by this I mean anywhere in Southeast DC on that side of the Anacostia river) already? On how large a scale?
To me, this is the one major part of DC I simply can't see getting gentrified on a large scale. Northeast DC I can see becoming somewhat gentrified, but not this area.
Not yet in Anacostia, but the immigrant population in Congress Heights is increasing. This may be a precursor of gentrification, similar to what has happened in Columbia Heights. If/when Ward 8 gentrifies, it will be the last area in DC to do so, and it will be from the south to the north (instead of west to east we're seeing elsewhere). This trend may be accelerated if Bolling AFB or Ancostia NS are BRAC'd. These installations are already consolidating; if any land is returned to DC, expect this prime real estate area to be quickly gentrified.
Not yet in Anacostia, but the immigrant population in Congress Heights is increasing. This may be a precursor of gentrification, similar to what has happened in Columbia Heights.
Immigrants moving to Columbia Heights sparked gentrification there? I think not. What sparked Columbia Heights' transformation was:
-The explosion of the nearby U Street corridor as one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city, as well as its proximity to other popular neighborhoods (such as Adams-Morgan);
-Its convenient, central DC location along with its Metro stop;
-Its stock of large, attractive rowhouses which became targets for renovation; and
-Developmental incentives (namely in the form of tax breaks and incentives) from the District that led to commercial developers banking significant money on massive projects such as the DC USA development.
The extent of the immigrant population had nothing to do with it. There had been a sizeable Latino population in that area for years (along with the predominant African-American population).
PBS is showing a documentary tonight on Washington in the 1960s. Worth a glance to see some of these areas we have discussed. Maybe some shots of U Street before getting torched and after getting torched.
Only if you want a strip joint next to a middle school or your house. Houston is a total mess.
As for the cost of living. It might well be a desirability factor. Awful climate - redneck population - flat as a tabletop. All great quality of life factors.
I was thoroughly enjoying following this thread until I got to your comments on Houston--have you spent much time in the city? Clearly not much if you think it has a redneck population--a third of the city is Latino mainly Mexican-Americans and I'm not talking about recent immigrants but third and fourth generation Americans of Mexican heritage. I also think many of the Caucasian folks would take issue with you referring to them as rednecks--that's so backwards and quite unnecessary. Yes the area is flat, but many millions of Americans who live along the Gulf Coast region between Texas and Florida quite enjoy the flat landscape and "awful" as you put it climate. Oh, but I guess you know better than the folks who live there.
The current mayor of Houston is Bill White who is a democrat and so was the previous mayor Lee P. Brown. Houston is a not a "Republican bastion"--it's a city with a conservative business environment but overall Houstonians tend to be moderate and practical. Houstonians don't care so much about labels (democrat/republican), they care about results--something that I and many others would like to see more of in the DC government.
I would encourage you to cease comparing DC to other American cities if it's going to cause you to make wild accusations and paint an entire area with such a broad unflattering brush--especially when it's clear that you have no idea what you are talking about!
The thing is the whole get rid of public housing and just have vouchers is already happening in places like Chicago and Atlanta. These are blue cities. While I certainly don't vouch for making poor people homeless, decentralizing poverty is usually better for all concerned. So instead of projects just have section 8 vouchers. The problem might come for those with felonies and such they'll have the hardest time securing housing. As long as no one is on the streets I'm kinda starting to lean towards tearing down public housing.
I think what you are saying is very interesting because of an article in the Atlantic that has been blogged about many times over American Murder Mystery - The Atlantic (July/August 2008). Essentially the article is about how crime patterns in Memphis changed when former residents of inner city housing projects were given Section 8 vouchers.
Here's a snippet that sort of sums up the point:
"While fewer Americans live in high-poverty neighborhoods, increasing numbers now live in places with “moderate” poverty rates, meaning rates of 20 to 40 percent. This pattern is not necessarily better, either for poor people trying to break away from bad neighborhoods or for cities, Galster explains. His paper compares two scenarios: a city split into high-poverty and low-poverty areas, and a city dominated by median-poverty ones. The latter arrangement is likely to produce more bad neighborhoods and more total crime, he concludes, based on a computer model of how social dysfunction spreads."
It seems as if it's not really clear if decentralizing poverty with Section 8 vouchers is a much better option. The article even points out how some of the poor in DC have been driven out to areas in Maryland or VA--is this better for the region overall? It comes down to a question of values and I'm not sure that mixing people with different sets of values are good for either group. I also think this is where the friction comes in with regard to gentrification--opposing groups with misaligned values. What do you think?
This is one of the most incoherent posts I've seen on here. Roomates...college students...temp workers...contractors...transiency...responsibilit y(?)...you're just throwing a bunch of stuff at a wall with no coherent rhyme or reason.
Highest median incomes mean just that: people in those areas are, generally speaking, very well off. All of your other stuff is just noise, because for whatever reason you can't admit when you're wrong on something.
Highest median incomes whether or not its in D.C. don't tell the whole story, I don't find most residents in that region wealthier based on their income.
Only if you want a strip joint next to a middle school or your house. Houston is a total mess.
As for the cost of living. It might well be a desirability factor. Awful climate - redneck population - flat as a tabletop. All great quality of life factors.
Houston may not be everybody's cup of tea and I have to agree with you on that , however given that real estate in D.C. is 4 times more expensive and has its own quality of life problems , I think comparison and stereotypes about Houston are unfounded a bit.
As for redneck population, that a bit stereotypical and of course I am not sure if all the "Houston defenders" who may or may not come on this forum who may be both right and wrong and in denial at times which is why I have to agree with you sometimes would say otherwise even though it would be easy to start a D.C. vs. Houston thread despite Houston not necessarily being my cup of tea.
Northern virginia can be considered as Houston though, flat suburban sprawl , congestion although Houston's congestion and freeways may be better managed, I wouldn't necessarily use that comparison whole hearty because Houston isn't everybody's cup of tea and sometimes defenders may ignore things.
Still, given the real estate pricing and issues , I wouldn't mind a few responses .
The Houston defenders came up with great responses though.
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What a crock!
