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Ani, yours is a truly remarkable essay - yes, essay - expressing your concern for the disenfranchised and a suitable answer to my strident post. I did get carried away when I read the rumor about Providence Square and the neighboring apartment complexes. Because, in truth, I know where many of these folks will migrate. This fear coupled with the fact that my East Charlotte neighborhood has recently lost a rezoning appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment: an appeal which should never have been lost had the City of Charlotte been truly concerned with the future of East Charlotte. So I, too, have now publicly embarrassed myself by by losing control of my emotions - expressing my fears in an unnecessarily unpleasant way. Thanks, Ani, for not responding in kind.
A short addendum to my post: I feel that there has been a loss of civic control in the public housing industry. When this industry is ruled primarily by the bottom line for investors it is not going to be regulated according to the dictates of good planning or a concern for the communities which it impacts. This is what has happened in East Charlotte - the City has not exercised the control over housing demanded by good planning and neighborhood preservation.
Just a question. What role should ordinary citizens such as those who live near the rumored project on Providence Road play in this whole question of public housing? What role can they play? Obviously, folks who live in this area would like to see this eyesore removed, see their neighborhood beautified with the resultant rise in property values. But should they also be concerned about where these tenants will go and what impact the gentrification of their area will have on other parts of the city? Maybe not. I don't know. Perhaps we all have too much going on in our own lives to be worrying about what is going to happen on the other side of town. Maybe if we keep our own lawns mowed and contribute to the United Fund or Meals on Wheels we are doing as much as we can do.
Ani, yours is a truly remarkable essay - yes, essay - expressing your concern for the disenfranchised and a suitable answer to my strident post. I did get carried away when I read the rumor about Providence Square and the neighboring apartment complexes. Because, in truth, I know where many of these folks will migrate. This fear coupled with the fact that my East Charlotte neighborhood has recently lost a rezoning appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment: an appeal which should never have been lost had the City of Charlotte been truly concerned with the future of East Charlotte. So I, too, have now publicly embarrassed myself by by losing control of my emotions - expressing my fears in an unnecessarily unpleasant way. Thanks, Ani, for not responding in kind.
A short addendum to my post: I feel that there has been a loss of civic control in the public housing industry. When this industry is ruled primarily by the bottom line for investors it is not going to be regulated according to the dictates of good planning or a concern for the communities which it impacts. This is what has happened in East Charlotte - the City has not exercised the control over housing demanded by good planning and neighborhood preservation.
Thanks again, Ani, for such a thoughtful post.
Barb, I did not feel that what you wrote was strident at all. The problem w/ revitalizing many areas of this city (and indeed, cities all over this nation) has often ended up w/ one section of a city being designated (unofficially!) as the "dumping ground" for all social ills, w/ housing being at the core of that situation.
The problem is thorny and has no easy answers . . . but the plain truth at the center of the discussion is exactly what you said: good planning.
It is just more expedient to allow one area of a city to become the aggregate for low income housing. And as housing values fall - who is going to step in? Investors. And typically, investors who will rely on subsidized rent programs.
I feel there is a lot of lip service in Charlotte about addressing these issues, but I don't see anything being done that truly changes things in some areas of the city - or to find viable, sustainable solutions. Supposedly, there are plans on the books for revitalization around the Eastland Mall area. . . but so far . . . I don't see those plans being implemented on a meaningful level (I know no one wants to hear about Eastland Mall again . . . but let's face it . . . what has happened there could have been managed better by city government).
Grassroots activism is the only "tool" residents have. We are not attorneys. Other than writing letters, we have few ways of "influencing city hall." We elect officials who are supposed to look after our interests, but so many of them have no clue how to address the problems, either. They end up signing on to whatever expedient solution is put in front of them.
We show up at city meetings, but so what? How can we compete w/ companies who have created a rationale, a feasibility study, a budget and a "plan" that seems logical . . . council members flip through pages of recommendations from a committee . . . and it all looks good to them. How can a citizen's group hope to compete w/ that?
Oh, I suppose if the Charlotte Observer would take it upon themselves to launch a big discussion on city planning, historic outcomes, possible solutions, etc. . . maybe that would catch someone's attention - for a few weeks, anyway. Then I suspect everyone would settle back into his or her comfort zone . . . and go right back to applying bandaids . . . and counting up tax revenue that will be generated from new projects . . . instead of taking a hard look at quality of life and longterm effects . . .
Barb, you have every reason to be concerned and every right to voice your concern. I suspect everyone who reads these posts understands your concerns and agrees that there should be better solutions.
I also suspect everyone feels as impotent about finding a way to solve the problems as I do.
Last edited by brokensky; 02-16-2008 at 01:06 PM..
Reason: misspell
Most of the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods have worked hard and some have made large sacrifices throughout their entire lives to live in a nice safe neighborhood. Perhaps the apartment residents should do the same thing. The homes are for sale to everyone, it's a free country.
Most of the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods have worked hard and some have made large sacrifices throughout their entire lives to live in a nice safe neighborhood. Perhaps the apartment residents should do the same thing. The homes are for sale to everyone, it's a free country.
I live and work in the Ballantyne area and spend a good deal of time volunteering for Loaves and Fishes and have built two Habitat houses. It's very unfair to assume that if someone is blessed with a good job that they don't give back. I use to work for a man who was part of one of the wealthiest families in the Southeast. He never let anyone know what he did but it was really quite extraordinary.
I live and work in the Ballantyne area and spend a good deal of time volunteering for Loaves and Fishes and have built two Habitat houses. It's very unfair to assume that if someone is blessed with a good job that they don't give back. I use to work for a man who was part of one of the wealthiest families in the Southeast. He never let anyone know what he did but it was really quite extraordinary.
Marilyn, I think you misunderstood Dino's post. He was saying the residents of these low income apartments should have to work harder to live in nicer areas, not that those "blessed with good jobs" don't give back.
In fact, in Charlotte people give back all the time. For instance, we have THE most successful Crop Walk here every October - more money raised here to feed the hungry than any other city in America. And we also have one of the most active Habitat for Humanity groups and Room in the Inn programs.
Marilyn, I think you misunderstood Dino's post. He was saying the residents of these low income apartments should have to work harder to live in nicer areas, not that those "blessed with good jobs" don't give back.
In fact, in Charlotte people give back all the time. For instance, we have THE most successful Crop Walk here every October - more money raised here to feed the hungry than any other city in America. And we also have one of the most active Habitat for Humanity groups and Room in the Inn programs.
It wasn't in reference to Dino. Just some other generalizations I read earlier. Thanks for posting that additional info.
It wasn't in reference to Dino. Just some other generalizations I read earlier. Thanks for posting that additional info.
I missed anything about people not volunteering or giving back. I think the concern is that areas of the city are being gentrified and/or razed to make way from rejuvenation and new retail/apartments . . . leaving low income people w/o housing. Add absentee landlords to that . . . and we end up w/ residential areas that lose value b/c property is trashed.
On the flip side we have disabled, elderly and mentally ill living in crummy, unsafe areas b/c there simply is not enuff housing available for them.
A double edged sword.
But I don't think anyone here is doubting that people give of their time, talent and treasure to help the disenfranchised. It is just that there is only so much any of us - even groups of us - can do - when it comes to housing.
I am sure your efforts are very appreciated by all the lives you touch.
Yes it is sad but it's part of the pie with economic development, which is exactly what will bring to this part of Providence Road. And it's not just poor people that will need to find other places to live, but also drug dealers and other criminals. This area has needed a face lift for quite some time. East Charlotte should take a page out of this book and consider doing the same thing in many of their dilapidated areas. As far as subsidized housing is concerned, the government can be blamed. The worst thing this government has ever done is create the welfare system. It creates an endless cycle of total dependence on GovCo which will most always result in endless poverty.
I agree now, but didn't always (used to be a bit of a bleeding heart), until (now twice) I had section 8 housing next to where I live. A few years back, some apartments in our very nice, quiet north Charlotte neighborhood were predominanlty section 8. Overnight, crime went through the roof, including guns (assault weopons), drugs, truant kids, armed robberies, house break ins, car breakins, stolen cars dumped in our driveways, police helicopters flying overhead on a regular basis, 2 murders, booty calls (truckers parking on WT Harris to meet the prostitutes in the apartments), stolen Fed Ex deliveries, stolen mail from mailboxes, trash discarded all over the place, on and on. The perps were all young, and knew the police had no control. They would even let you take their pictures, and steal things right in front of you, not caring, knowing that you probably wouldn't take the chance on beating them into comas. If anyone is planning on putting section 8 housing in your area, fight it. And, by the way, many of the people dislocated from South Park, Myers Park, Dilworth, Uptown...many are in the University area. 10 years ago, University was one of the safest areas, now, one of the most dangerous. Thank you so much Mayor Patty Duke!!
I agree now, but didn't always (used to be a bit of a bleeding heart), until (now twice) I had section 8 housing next to where I live. A few years back, some apartments in our very nice, quiet north Charlotte neighborhood were predominanlty section 8. Overnight, crime went through the roof, including guns (assault weopons), drugs, truant kids, armed robberies, house break ins, car breakins, stolen cars dumped in our driveways, police helicopters flying overhead on a regular basis, 2 murders, booty calls (truckers parking on WT Harris to meet the prostitutes in the apartments), stolen Fed Ex deliveries, stolen mail from mailboxes, trash discarded all over the place, on and on. The perps were all young, and knew the police had no control. They would even let you take their pictures, and steal things right in front of you, not caring, knowing that you probably wouldn't take the chance on beating them into comas. If anyone is planning on putting section 8 housing in your area, fight it. And, by the way, many of the people dislocated from South Park, Myers Park, Dilworth, Uptown...many are in the University area. 10 years ago, University was one of the safest areas, now, one of the most dangerous. Thank you so much Mayor Patty Duke!!
Yep. That is what happens. So what do we do? How do we "clean up" these areas . . . and perhaps more important . . . how do we keep this from happening?
If you are living in a section that has become a "dumping ground" - you are acutely aware of just how quickly properties lose value and crime can set in. The most frightening part of your post is the arrogance you say you have witnessed . . . w/ young people flagrantly displaying criminal behavior and not even caring if you take a picture of them in the act! This appears to be a law enforcement issue, but I would suspect it would take a patrol car on every block - continually monitoring - to have an impact.
So what can be done? That is my question. All the average person can do is move out of these areas . . . wh/ then just provides additional properties where more proverty can plant itself.
As long as you have segments of the population who find it acceptable to rob their neighbors and terrorize business owners . . . I guess nothing will ever change. Pretty dismal.
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