Boyle Heights Gentrification: "activist" use intimidation threat tactics to scare UCLA students walking tour (Los Angeles: high crime, neighborhoods)

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by jm1982

I still don't get why they can't have menudo and a gourmet coffee place or whatever.
Why can't people play Ranchera music and Indie Pop or whatever.

Also newsflash... White people love taco stands too...and big shocker..some even eat Menudo...

Sounds like the Boyle Heights 'activists' are anti diversity. Right now Boyle Heights with 94% hispanic population is not demographically diverse.

If the owners of Canter's Deli wanted to open another location in Boyle Heights (where their original location was before Fairfax) I wonder if these activists would be opposed to them coming back to the neighborhood..I'm guessing yes..

The argument that they "lost Echo Park" is absurd. Echo Park still has a hispanic majority and a ton of businesses that serve hispanics and others.

Good point, except for this:

Originally Posted by PDR2015

They fear that opening up the neighborhood will lead to an influx of new buyers/flippers which will lead to the current population being priced out. It's going to happen eventually.

We have seen this happen over and over in NYC. It's basically reverse block busting.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by l1995

Those types of "activists" just sound arrogant to me. It's hard to explain the point I'm trying to get across, but people like them make themselves out to be victims over silly things. Like you said, the Mexican culture isn't going to leave the neighborhood just because it comes a little more gentrified. But to be fair, I think most of the residents are more reasonable than the activists from that article

Isn't East LA mostly or largely occupied by homeowners anyway?

Yeah I just don't get their objective. Sounds like it's to make sure that Boyle Heights remains a lower income area..or is it that it remains a hispanic majority area? 94% hispanic now...so that's far from happening.
Also like you said many people living there to own their homes. Although East L.A is actually a different neighborhood from Boyle Heights, but still.
Also the strong rent control in this city will also help to ensure that a lot of people don't get kicked out...and if they do get kicked out somehow for redevelopment they get big payouts of thousands of dollars.

I think wanting to keep things the same in a big city like L.A is a bad idea..whether it's Boyle Heights or the Westside, the valley or wherever.
It's anti business,anti progress, anti capitalism

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by quixotic59

Good point, except for this:



We have seen this happen over and over in NYC. It's basically reverse block busting.

Home prices have gone up a LOT in Echo Park, but lower income hispanics still make up a big part of the population.
Also rising home prices can be great for lower income or middle class homeowners in all cities.
Think of the longtime African American homeowners in Harlem or the longtime hispanic homeowners in Boyle Heights that can now sell out for big money , for the modest home they lived in.
Average home price in Echo Park is now $800,000!
I'm sure there are quite a few longtime residents that have their homes paid off..or have huge equity in their homes.
Or even if they don't sell out ,...they can use the equity to help send kids to college, buy a business or some other opportunity.
Personally I think that's great.

[l1995]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Yeah I just don't get their objective. Sounds like it's to make sure that Boyle Heights remains a lower income area..or is it that it remains a hispanic majority area? 94% hispanic now...so that's far from happening.
Also like you said many people living there to own their homes. Although East L.A is actually a different neighborhood from Boyle Heights, but still.
Also the strong rent control in this city will also help to ensure that a lot of people don't get kicked out...and if they do get kicked out somehow for redevelopment they get big payouts of thousands of dollars.

I think wanting to keep things the same in a big city like L.A is a bad idea..whether it's Boyle Heights or the Westside, the valley or wherever.
It's anti business,anti progress, anti capitalism

Yeah I agree, and those people are being unrealistic unrealistic. The development of the neighborhood must halt completely?

Are those activists just afraid of any change, or have they been deluded into thinking they're some sort of victims? Or do they just want to sound important?

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by l1995

Yeah I agree, and those people are being unrealistic unrealistic. The development of the neighborhood must halt completely?

Are those activists just afraid of any change, or have they been deluded into thinking they're some sort of victims? Or do they just want to sound important?

Wait i thought it was white peoples fault for NOT moving into nonwhite areas? All this pc stuff has gotten so confusing....

L.A. is resegregating -- and whites are a major reason why - LA Times

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by l1995

Yeah I agree, and those people are being unrealistic unrealistic. The development of the neighborhood must halt completely?

Are those activists just afraid of any change, or have they been deluded into thinking they're some sort of victims? Or do they just want to sound important?

Yeah that's the thing. It's hard to say what their goals are.
I just hope that this doesn't turn violent. I know there has been similar 'anti gentrification' activists in Highland Park..
People Respond to Anti-Gentrification Protests in Highland Park

. One of the business owners that was protested in Highland Park ...

"“My family moved to Glassell Park over 50 years ago. In fact, when we moved here, we were the first Filipino family,” says Guerrero. “I guess the thing that I resent about people who want to protest my being here is that I was probably here before they were. And then they insinuate that somehow I’m a privileged white person with a sense of entitlement. I guess I do have a sense of entitlement because this is my neighborhood….I’m not some carpetbagger opportunist.” - See more at: http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/going-highland-park/#sthash.bzcZfyvv.dpuf"

Examples like this show how ignorant some of these protestors can be.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Home prices have gone up a LOT in Echo Park, but lower income hispanics still make up a big part of the population.
Also rising home prices can be great for lower income or middle class homeowners in all cities.
Think of the longtime African American homeowners in Harlem or the longtime hispanic homeowners in Boyle Heights that can now sell out for big money , for the modest home they lived in.
Average home price in Echo Park is now $800,000!
I'm sure there are quite a few longtime residents that have their homes paid off..or have huge equity in their homes.
Or even if they don't sell out ,...they can use the equity to help send kids to college, buy a business or some other opportunity.
Personally I think that's great.

Yeah same thing is happening in oakland and you NEVER hear the story of older retired blacks who cashed out and moved somewhere better. It just doesnt fit the narrative. I get "renters being forced out by high prices", but some activists include former oak HOMEOWNERS in the "forced out" narrative. Im sorry, but selling a bungalow you paid 10k for in 1965 for 800k in 2016 is not "forced out"... thats winning the damn lottery!

[PDR2015]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Yeah same thing is happening in oakland and you NEVER hear the story of older retired blacks who cashed out and moved somewhere better. It just doesnt fit the narrative. I get "renters being forced out by high prices", but some activists include former oak HOMEOWNERS in the "forced out" narrative. Im sorry, but selling a bungalow you paid 10k for in 1965 for 800k in 2016 is not "forced out"... thats winning the damn lottery!

Yes... because the home owners who cashed out and moved away aren't being interviewed. The renters who get priced out are the ones who are complaining.

[l1995]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Yeah that's the thing. It's hard to say what their goals are.
I just hope that this doesn't turn violent. I know there has been similar 'anti gentrification' activists in Highland Park..
People Respond to Anti-Gentrification Protests in Highland Park

. One of the business owners that was protested in Highland Park ...

"“My family moved to Glassell Park over 50 years ago. In fact, when we moved here, we were the first Filipino family,” says Guerrero. “I guess the thing that I resent about people who want to protest my being here is that I was probably here before they were. And then they insinuate that somehow I’m a privileged white person with a sense of entitlement. I guess I do have a sense of entitlement because this is my neighborhood….I’m not some carpetbagger opportunist.” - See more at: http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/going-highland-park/#sthash.bzcZfyvv.dpuf"

Examples like this show how ignorant some of these protestors can be.

Harassing small business owners, that's just pathetic. Maybe it's resentment that stems from jealousy.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Yeah same thing is happening in oakland and you NEVER hear the story of older retired blacks who cashed out and moved somewhere better. It just doesnt fit the narrative. I get "renters being forced out by high prices", but some activists include former oak HOMEOWNERS in the "forced out" narrative. Im sorry, but selling a bungalow you paid 10k for in 1965 for 800k in 2016 is not "forced out"... thats winning the damn lottery!

Thanks for sharing that. It's amazing how one sided these issues are presented in the media.
It would be interesting to hear some stories of how longtime Oakland ,Echo Park homeowners lives have been improved by selling their homes and cashing out or using the equity for something great.

Or maybe they kept the property, but moved out of the area and now have it as a great supplement to their retirement income.
Why do we never hear these stories??