Gentrification Leads to Polish Hill Civic Association (PHCA) Closure (Pittsburgh: neighborhoods, school districts)

[erieguy]

They don't care about those traditions. If they did, they'd contribute. They don't move into an area because of its traditions or festivals. They move there to live.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Yes! Terry is a friend of mine! I met him back when he was PHCA president. He now heads up the Pittsburgh Public Market. Great guy! Don't really hang out with him or anything because of my work schedule, but I always enjoy conversing with him.

I know I come off as an alarmist on here about rental prices increasing, and while I'm starting to accept that it's better for surrounding neighborhoods in need of TLC to welcome those being displaced by higher nearby rents I was always afraid something like this would happen. It's great that poverty is on a downward trend in the neighborhood, but I honestly don't think crowd-funding to keep neighborhood events and festivals alive is likely to be successful. I donated $50 towards the most recent IndieGogo campaign for the 2015 Arts Festival, and I think they only raised a fraction of their goal in the end (and that was with offering freebies to donors, too).

If there's so many wealthier people moving in, then why aren't they contributing financially to neighborhood events? I suppose my concern is just do I want to trade poor residents for rich residents if the rich residents aren't going to want to contribute towards upkeeping traditions.

Because they are bringing whatever dream they have for the neighborhood with them, and they probably could care less what went on before. And that does suck. I agree that it will be a real shame for Polish Hill to lose what it has. There is a greater sense of community there than most Burgh neighborhoods that I've spent time in. Perhaps it's because of the topography, but it has always seemed to me to have an insularity that suggested coziness rather than claustrophobia. And many of the musicians, artists, and other creative types that began to populate the place over the last 10-15 years made it a point to integrate seamlessly as possible into the pre-existing neighborhood. They respected that there were those who came before that made it what it was, and didn't just try to overwhelm them with their new ideas and perspectives. They didn't shun the locals or look down on them as much as the newer wealthy transplants will likely do. I lived in the South Side in the mid-90's and Lawrenceville in the late nineties/early 00's, and I saw both of those neighborhoods become something I barely recognized and could hardly endure, and it all happened with blazing speed before I realized what was happening. It's sad, but perhaps inevitable in this modern society which seems to have completely turned its back on the concept of "sense of place".

[ferraris]

Is PHCA actually dismantling, or just closing their office?

There are plenty of neighborhoods who don't qualify for those funds but still have civic associations. If PHCA is closing entirely just because of this that is very disheartening; I'm sure the association could survive without a physical office and/or without a paid staffer.

[I_Like_Spam]

The PHCA still lives of course, they just lost their funding from the federal government as there are too few poor people up there.


And there are other civic minded organizations on Polish Hill as well, including the large church and the Young Men's Polish American Association.

I'm sure there is room for more clubs as well.


However, they are more likely to be reaching the new affluent class up there, and probably have different ideas. Perhaps the Civic Association will start having garden parties and debutante balls in the neighborhood to bring the new upper crust folks together.

[eschaton]

While this sucks, honestly as a neighborhood with only 1,300 or so people, and relatively few businesses, it's nearly impossible to justify a community organization with any level of paid staffing.

I honestly feel worse for Beltzhoover, as being merged with Bon Air's census tract back in 2010 really screwed them over. Makes me wonder when Polish Hill is merged into an adjoining area what will happen. If it gets lumped into part of the Hill District, it just might get its money back.

[gg]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I learned today officially that the non-profit Polish Hill Civic Association (PHCA), which has been a community-building stalwart for generations, is laying off its sole paid staff member and closing its office on August 15. This is due to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey no longer indicating that a high enough percentage of neighborhood residents qualify as "low-income" for the PHCA to receive any Federal funding,...

Can't get much better news than that. Great that the government can save some money and the area is doing great. What wonderful news, thanks!

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I learned today officially that the non-profit Polish Hill Civic Association (PHCA), which has been a community-building stalwart for generations, is laying off its sole paid staff member and closing its office on August 15. This is due to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey no longer indicating that a high enough percentage of neighborhood residents qualify as "low-income" for the PHCA to receive any Federal funding, which comprised 1/3 of its annual budget. The staff member who is losing her job is a friend of mine, and I'm very sorry to see her soon-to-be unemployed.

It's a shame she's losing her job, but in a sense isn't it sort of "Mission Accomplished" for PHCA if the neighborhood's income has been raised high enough that it no longer qualifies for Federal assistance?

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

On an anecdotal basis I've definitely noticed an upward income trajectory in the neighborhood since moving here in 2010. Newer (and nicer) cars are lining the streets. People I've befriended who didn't drive in 2010 because they couldn't afford vehicles have since bought cars. Dumpsters are everywhere as developers renovate blighted properties. Median rents have been rising moderately. We now house a vegan-friendly deli; hip coffeehouse; records store; comic book store; and have been featured in a recent movie. I used to be the only one who'd run from my abode down to the Strip District and back for exercise and now find myself regularly greeting more and more people running, pushing strollers, or cycling (in our new bike lane).

And of course Gooski's - one of the best dive bars in the city and one of the few places where I can enjoy Zywiec!

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand I feel inspired that fewer impoverished residents means my neighbors are doing better for themselves financially, and, as such, they can pump more wage tax revenues into the city treasury so we can, in turn, get more invested back into the neighborhood for things like historic preservation and traffic calming.

On the other hand the PHCA fostered camaraderie and neighborliness through its newsletters, office support, blog, promotion and support of popular annual events like the May Day Parade and Arts Festival, etc. I'm hoping such traditions shall continue, perhaps supported via crowd-funding, but if they cease to exist I'm worried this neighborhood will lose its identity and charm as more socially-aloof yuppies with huge wallets move in.

Should be good news. Obviously there has been some trickle down if some of your friends are now able to buy cars that they were unable to afford previously. Nobody likes to see blight, so its removal is nice - and the improvements will help boost everyone's property values. I'd love it if something similar happened in Etna - instead I have an idiot across the street who lets weeds grow in his front yard until they're as tall as I am and I file a complaint with the Health Department.

I am actually a member of PHCA (they have the very cool deal of free admission to the Heinz History Center - well worth the price of annual membership!!). I was very impressed with their newsletter and I know they were working very strongly on traffic calming measures.

What historic preservation would you like to see in PH though?? The only structure that springs to my mind would be the old school building by the church.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

What do others think? Can Pittsburgh at-large successfully juggle luring in more yuppies to bolster its wage tax revenues while simultaneously preventing it from losing its down-to-earth appeal? I'm all for continued gentrification of my neighborhood if it means it will achieve its fullest potential. I would rather us remain poor, though, if it means the "neighborliness" will go away with the influx of affluence. I moved to Polish Hill from a part of Virginia with a six-figure median household income, and there was a definite dearth of "camaraderie" and "neighborliness" there. Is losing that part of our identity acceptable collateral damage in order to boost our wage tax revenues?

I'd go for more money rather than remaining poor and neighborly. But that's my cultural background - I'd like a nice little plot of ground and with people that leave me alone and take care of their own property.

And as much as I dislike the yuppies and hipsters (I'm increasingly feeling like I need a passport when I go to the East End), the City needs every dollar it can get. So it should be encouraging development, attracting new residents, and attracting regional visitors.

Originally Posted by Merge

That's true. I'm hoping against hope that my little community will somehow be able to retain its current flavor in the midst of rapid demographic change right across the river. Having said that, I bet there are a lot of people who don't live in my neighborhood who would never be able to understand what is at stake here, and would be baffled that I want it to stay as it is.

I'm not familiar with where you live - Troy Hill or Millvale maybe?
Can you elaborate more about what you feel is at stake? Just curious to get your personal perspective, thanks.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I suppose my concern is just do I want to trade poor residents for rich residents if the rich residents aren't going to want to contribute towards upkeeping traditions.

The richer residents provide a better tax base, which leads to better roads. They're also the kind more likely to be able to patronize your business, and help increase the velocity of money.

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

And there are other civic minded organizations on Polish Hill as well, including the large church and the Young Men's Polish American Association.

Immaculate Heart has an annual festival, doesnt it?

[doo dah]

I'll just put this here.

[DunyaWolf]

Originally Posted by doo dah

I'll just put this here.

This whole subject is very interesting. According to that calculator we are gentrifiers (we live in Crafton Heights). I don't really see how we're affecting the neighborhood though. We just live here lol. And want to move asap. Though where to is the question because there's so much to consider.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by DunyaWolf

This whole subject is very interesting. According to that calculator we are gentrifiers (we live in Crafton Heights). I don't really see how we're affecting the neighborhood though. We just live here lol. And want to move asap. Though where to is the question because there's so much to consider.

Curious as to why you want to move ASAP?