THE
THE DISTRICT'S LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCED
NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCED GENTRIFICATION DURING THOSE
SAME YEARS.
SAME YEARS. TONIGHT WE HEAR FROM A FEW
PEOPLE WHO KNOW A LOT ABOUT
GENTRIFICATION AND ABOUT ITS 4@
IMPACT FIRSTHAND.
IMPACT FIRSTHAND. WE ALSO WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
IS GENTRIFICATION GOOD OR BAD
FOR THE DISTRICT.
GO TO WUSA9.COM TO VOTE.
EXACTLY ONE WEEK AGO OPEN THEIR
DOORS TO THE NO LOCATION. WHEN
THE OWNER OPEN HIS FIRST
LOCATION BACK IN 2005, IT WAS
STILL AN OPEN AIR DRUG MARKET
ON THE CORNER4@4@4@. THE DRUGS
CRIME WERE CLEANED UP AND 4@MOR
BUSINESSES MOVED IN.
HOME PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE
AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS GENTRIFIED. 4@
ALL FIVE BUSBOY AND POET
LOCATIONS THAT HAVE OPEN SINCE
THEN HAVE SEEN THE SAME
PATTERN.
PATTERN.
PATTERN. THE FOUNDER AND OWNER HAS SAID
THAT HIS RESTAURANTS ARE NOT4@
FOLLOWING GENTRIFICATION, THEY
ARE THE RESULT OF
GENTRIFICATION TIERS I THINK
GENTRIFICATION IS
GENTRIFICATION IS MISUNDERSTOOD.
MISUNDERSTOOD. WE ARE NOT 4@THE CAUSE OF
GENTRIFICATION, WE ARE A
SYMPTOM.
SYMPTOM.
SYMPTOM. GENTRIFICATION HAPPENS OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME WHEN4@ GOVE4@RNM
ABDICATES ITS RESPONSIBILITY.
GOVERNMENT, A LOT OF TIMES,
PREFERS TO BLAME IT ON THE
BUSBOYS OR THE STARBUCKS
BECAUSE THAT'S EASY.
>> Host: WE TAKE A LOOK AT
GENTRIFICATION TONIGHT AND I AM
>> Host: WE TAKE A LOOK AT GENTRIFICATION TONIGHT AND I AM@
JOINED BY THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR
FOR BREAD FOR THE CITY THAT
PROVIDES LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
WITH FOOD, CLOTHING AND MEDICAL
CARE.
CARE.
CARE. HE
CARE. HE IS WARD A REPRESENTATIVE FOR
THE D.C. WARD.
IS THE D.C. BOARD OF EDUC4@ATIO
DAN KAPLAN IS THE BRANCH
MANAGER AT MOVEMENT MORTGAGE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS A BROAD
QUESTION.
QUESTION.
QUESTION. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT
GENTRIFICATION, IS A GOOD OR
BAD FOR THE CITY?
>> FIRST OF ALL, GENTRIFICATION
SAYS THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING AS
THE SOCIAL OR MORAL BETTER OF
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN
WITHOUT DISPLACING PEOPLE, BUT
IT TAKES INTENTION FROM THE
CITY AND THE GOVERNMENT.
SO, TO THE QUESTION OF IS
DISPLACEMENT GOOD OR BAD, IT IS
ALWAYS BAD.
ALWAYS BAD. TO THE QUESTION OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT BEING GOOD OR BAD,
HE COULD AMOUNT -- ECONOMIC
DE4@VELOPMENT IS GOOD WHEN ALL
PEOPLE STAND TO BENEFIT FROM
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
IT. >> I
IT. >> I WANT TO COME BACK TO WHAT
THE GOVERNMENT CAN AND CANNOT
DO IN THIS INSTANCE WITH THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION, IS A GOOD 4@
OR BAD?
OR BAD?
OR BAD? >> EVERY DISTRICT RESIDENT
WANTS TO ENJOY THE GROWTH AND
EVERYONE WANTS GROWTH.
WHEN I WAS BORN IN CONGRESS
HEIGHTS, THE CITY WAS OVER 70%
BLACK.
BLACK.
BLACK. WE
BLACK. WE ARE 48% NOW.
THE FACT IS 20% OF ALL OF --
THE ARTICLE SAID IT EARLIER
TODAY -- 20% OF ALL BLACK
PEOPLE DISPLACED AROUND THE
COUNTRY WERE ONCE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA RESIDENTS.
COLUMBIA RESIDENTS. IF WE DON'T TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK
AT HOW WE GROW IN OUR CITY AND
ALSO GROW OUR 4@PEOPLE, I THINK
WE WILL END UP IN A PLACE WHERE
WE HAVE A CITY AND NOT A
CULTURE.
CULTURE.
CULTURE. NOT A PEOPLE.>> Host: YOU KNOW
THE BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE.
HOW IS GENTRIFICATION CHANGING
THINGS?
THINGS?
THINGS? IS IT GOOD OR BAD?
>> IT DEPENDS ON HOW WE MOVE
FORWARD.
FORWARD.
FORWARD. EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE AND WORK
IN A NICE COMMUNITY IN A NICE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND NO ONE IS
OPPOSED TO THAT.
WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT
DISPLACEMENT IS AN ISSUE, BUT
THERE ARE WAYS AROUND IT.
EASIEST WAY AROUND IT IS
DEPENDING ON 4@THE ORDER. HOME @
HOME AFFORDABILITY OR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEAN
DIFFERENT THINGS.
DIFFERENT THINGS. AS LONG AS WE CAN IMPROVE THE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED TO BE
IMPROVED, THAT IS GROWTH AND
PROSPERITY. AS LONG AS WE CAN
KEEP THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
IN PLACE, IT CAN BE A VERY GOOD
THING.
THING.
THING. REPORT4@ --
REPORT4@ -- >> Host: IS IT ON THE
GOVERNMENT TO KEEP HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY IN PLACE?4@4@
WHAT ABOUT THE COP, THE TEACHER
OR THE FIREFIGHTER?
I DON'T SEE MUCH OF THAT GOING
ON.
ON.
ON. >>
ON. >> I
ON. >> I THINK THE GOVERNME4@NT HAS
ROLE AS IT HAS HAD A ROLE IN
CREATING THE WHITE MIDDLE
CLASS.
CLASS.
CLASS. RIGHT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? WITH THE CREATION OF H -- FHA
AND WE THINK ABOUT REDLINE,
THEY CREATED A WHITE MIDDLE
CLASS THAT DISPOSSESSED THE
BLACK FOLKS.
BLACK FOLKS. THE DISPLACEMENT HAPPENED RI4@G
HERE IN D.C.. TO THE EXTENT THE
GOVERNMENT HAS HAD A HAND IN
THIS HISTORIC DISPLACEMENT4@ AN
FORCED MIGRATION OF BLACK AND
BROWN PEOPLE, IT HAS THE DUTY
TO PROVE -- TO PRESERVE PUBLIC
HOUSING AND MAKE SURE THERE IS
NEW HOUSING.
NEW HOUSING. >> Host: LET'S LOOK 4@AT THE
AFRICAN-AMERICANS BEING
AFRICAN-AMERICANS BEING DISPLACED.
DISPLACED. AR4@E WE NOT TALKING ABOUT
RENTERS AND LOW INCOME RENTERS4
WHO HAVE TO LIVE WHERE THERE IS
HOUSING AVAILABLE?
HOUSING AVAILABLE? THEY HAVE TO LIVE WHERE FOLKS
WITH MO4@NEY DON'T WANT TO LIVE
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? >>
RIGHT? >> IN A CITY AS PROSPEROUS AS
OURS, HOW DO WE MAKE IT
AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY?
WE JUST NEED TO FIND4@ THE WILL
TO DO IT.
TO DO IT.
TO DO IT. WE NEED TO REDEFINE HOW WE
DEFINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE HOW IT --
HIGHEST MEDIAN4@ INCOMES IN THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. EVEN IF YOU SAY IN AFFORDABLE
UNIT IS 80% OF AMI, YOU 4@ARE
MAKING BETWEEN 80,000 AND
$90,000 PER YEAR.4@
>> Host: WE TALK ABOUT
AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
WHEN CAN EVERYBODY STAY AT ONE
PLACE THAT IS LANDLOCKED.
WE DON'T HAVE A COMMUTER TAX
HERE AND THE MAYOR HAS TO FIND
THE TAX FROM SOMEWHERE.
YOU HAVE TO WELCOME THE NEW
COMING IN AND BUYING THE HIGHER-
PRICED HOUSING AND THE4@ TAX
REVENUE BEING GENERATED, ETC.
AT THE SAME TIME YOU NEED TO
PRESERVE THE STATUS QUO, IF YOU
WILL.
WILL.
WILL. MARION 4@BARRY 4@TRIED TO DO IT
YEARS AND COULD NOT DO IT 4@AND
WHEN PEOPLE GOT MORE INCOME
THEY MOVED TO PRINCE GEORGE'S
COUNTY IN THE SUBURBS.
PEOPLE ARE CASHING OUT AND
SELLING AND MAKING A LOT OF
MONEY AND MOVING OUT.4@4@
>> I THINK IT IS OVERWHELMINGLY
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. MY GRANDMOTHER HAS OWNED A HOME
IN CONGRESS HEIGHTS SINCE THE
1960S.
1960S.
1960S. IT
1960S. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR SENIORS ON @
FIXED INCOMES. IT IS DIFFICULT
TO LIVE IN COMMUNITIES LIKE
OURS.
OURS.
OURS. >>
OURS. >> Host: THE TAXES AND PRICES
ARE GOING UP.>> FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE 4@STARTING CAREERS, I WA
BORN AND RAISED IN THE CITY.
FOR ME AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL,
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO LIVE IN THE
CITY.
CITY.
CITY. FOR
CITY. FOR THE FOLKS 4@WHO DRIVE TO TH
CITY THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. >>
HERE. >> Host: WHY IS TH4@E HOUSING S
EXPENSIVE?
EXPENSIVE? ALL OF THOSE NEW GOOD-LOOKING
PIECES OF PROPERTY. IT'S ALMOST
A MATCHBOX, BUT IT'S VERY
EXPENSIVE AND MORE THAN MOST OF
US PAY IN MORTGAGE.4@
>> THERE IS A FIXED AND FINITE
AMOUNT OF REAL ESTATE4@. THERE
ARE TWO ASPECTS OF BEING ABLE
TO AFFORD A HOME.
I TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE POINT
ABOUT OWNING AND RENTING. 4@
IF WE LEARNED ANYTHING FROM THE
GREAT RECESSION, AND THIS
CHANGED ME, I THOUGHT
HOMEOWNERSHIP WAS EVERYTHING4@
AND 4@IT'S NOT.
I THINK EDUCATED CONSUMERS ARE @
THE BEST CUSTOMERS OUT THERE.
AS FAR AS THE COST OF BUILDING4
I CAN'T STRICTLY ADDRESS THAT,
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN THE
LENDING COMMUNITY THERE ARE
MORE LOAN PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
TODAY FOR LOW AND MODERATE
INCOME PEOPLE AND 4@FIRST-TIME
HOMEBUYERS, AND FOR ELDERLY
PEOPLE BEING HURT BY THE
INCREASE IN TAXES AND THE LIKE
WITH REVERSE MORTGAGES.
THERE ARE A SLEW ACROSS THE
SPECTRUM OF FINANCIALLY OPTIONS
THAT REALLY HELP PEOPLE.>>
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RECEPTION.
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT HIT A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
THE HAMMER HITS THE BALL, BUT
NOT EQUALLY.
NOT EQUALLY. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST EXTRACTION
OF WEALTH FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN
THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES.
STATES. SO, FOR BLACK FOLKS, HOME
OWNERSHIP IN THE TRADITIONAL
SENSE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS
GOING TO SOLVE IT. WHEN YOU
LOOK AT HOW MANY FOLKS ARE
RENTER4@S, YOU KNOW
HOMEOWNERSHIP, THE HOUSE IS THE
BANK WHEN YOU PAY IT OFF.
>> Host: THERE'S A RECORD
NUMBER OF FORECLOSURES IN
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
>> HOW DO WE CREATE A MARKET
THAT CAN 4@ACTUALLY DICTATE THA
ISN'T JUST ABOUT BUILDING
WEALTH, BUT ABOUT PROVIDING
HOUSING.
HOUSING.
HOUSING. THINKING OF HOUSING AS A HUMAN
RIGHT AND NOT A COMMODITY.
>> Host: AND PEOPLE NEED TO
COME UP WITH A WAY TO BUILD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. YOU WILL NEED HELP FROM THE
GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT. THEY WILL HAVE TO GIVE YOU TH4@
LAND AND YOU WILL NEED THE
HELP.
HELP.
HELP. YOU
HELP. YOU HAVE TO THINK OUT-OF-THE-
BOX.
BOX.
BOX. IT'S
BOX. IT'S NOT JUST A BUDGET ITEM.
$100,000 FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND I DON'T 4@EVEN KNOW WHAT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS. IN D.C.,
WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING?4@
>> 80% OR BELOW THE MEDIAN AND
IT'S A VARIABLE NUMBER. 4@
WHAT YOU PAY FOR YOUR HOME HERE
IN PEORIA IS GOING TO BE VERY
DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT. YOU ARE GOING TO BE MAKING MORE
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. >>
HERE. >> Host: MAYBE THAT'S THE NEXT
CONVERSATION.4@
CONVERSATION.4@ IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE PLACE TO
4@ LIVE,