A look at what's going on in Trinidad, on H Street, and in the larger area north of Capitol Hill.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The Community Speaks
A reader was kind enough to send along this video that addresses some of the changes we're seeing along H Street. I'll be interested to read some of the responses.
15 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Wonder if the woman in the video that got yelled at outside Popeye's was double parked. Not that it would justify getting accosted by a crazy Caucasian but frustrating that people double park all over H Street.
I thought it they covered a nice variety of opinions and perspectives. Whether you agree with them or not it showed how different people feel about the progress of the last several years on H Street
Neighborhood is changing. It's becoming more mixed. More interesting. A dominance of any one ethnic group isn't good. Some people are choosing to cash in and leave. Others are staying put. Property tax increases are capped at 10% so no one is really forcing residents out. Retail rents are much higher, which requires more capital and a more viable business model to adapt to changing times. The fact that you have neither is no one's fault but your own. I completely agree with Englert's views on gentrification, as noted in the Washingtonian. One thing we can all agree on is that the progress(in this neighborhood and city-wide) has been remarkable over the past five of years. Progress in terms of livability, safety, economic growth and potential, all that stuff. And progress is preferable on a grand scale to stagnation.
Oh man, that Loretta woman was definitely double parked in front of Popeyes. Why else would anyone (Caucasian or otherwise) just spontaneously begin to yell at her?
I cant stand how many people just come to a dead stop in the middle of the street and put on their hazard lights. I have seen so many near collisions because of this. The VAST majority of people I see doing this are older black people. I think they probably could get away doing this for the past 30 years. But they fail to recognize that H Street has grown and they cant just selfishly double park whenever they want.
And this woman epitomizes the most frustrating part of it all. Here you have a person seemingly upset and confused as to why someone would yell at her, when SHE was the one breaking the law. "And the police didnt do anything about it!" Yeah, exactly the police didnt do anything about YOU breaking the law!!!
Seems like an accurate depiction of what’s going on around here and its not just DC. The same thing is happening all across the country. I grew up in DC and the old guy is right, it is alot more white people. The racial dimorphic has changed dramatically and for those of us who have been here more than ten years its really astonishing how fast its happening. Growing up here I've seen U street, CH, Verizon Center etc. all changed and H Street is what’s Now! What really changed all these places is the implementation of public transit. You can expect an entire New neighborhood if DDOT ever get the streetcars running. As a home owner im excited!
Regardless of how I feel about the content of the video, I'm just glad H Street keeps getting talked about...blogs, articles papers, videos. Bring it on and keep it coming.
Residents are easily forced out. Their called renters - which most working class people (regardless of color) are. All a landlord needs to do is decide to sell the building. OR jack the rent up at the end of the lease high enough that it forces tenants to leave. OR stop maintaining the place so tenants don't want to live there any more.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for allowing people to fix up a neighborhood, and I'm all for reaping some reward for that through increased rents or property values.
But when the exact people who cleaned the neighborhood up in the first place (long term residents and newcomers who showed up to make it "up and coming") are forced out so faraway property owners can maximize their returns, its bulls%^&* and there should be some way to stop it.
When someone moves into an area and lives there for over a decade, shouldn't they be moving towards purchasing? I understand being upset over property taxes that are too high and force people out, but when you are a renter aren't you assuming the risk that rents will go up at the landlord's discretion?
Jack up rent too high you say? I don't think so. http://och.georgetown.edu/uploadedfiles/rentcontrolfactsheet0409.pdf
Sure a landlord can decide to sell the building, but that is their right and prerogative. What they can't do is unreasonably jack up rent beyond what the law allows. So that argument is bull.
As a side note, I live on a block that is mostly renters. I have never come across a more disrespectful bunch of people in my entire life and I have lived in DC over a decade. I will be happy to see them gone and so will all the older residents on the block who can't stand the constant noise/trash/disrespect either.
in order for somone to move into this neighborhood and buy a house, someone who already lives here or owns here must move out and sell a house. when do we talk about the homeowners and residents who are cshing out, selling out and making a profit by leaving their neighborhood. why are the residents moving in perceived as the bad guys?
Who said new residents moving in are bad guys? O yea the one lady double parked in front of Poppies. She was obviously upset about the what happen so I think her opinion is a bit bias. Lets face it new resident equals better property values. We all want are investment to appreciate.
15 comments:
Wonder if the woman in the video that got yelled at outside Popeye's was double parked. Not that it would justify getting accosted by a crazy Caucasian but frustrating that people double park all over H Street.
I thought it they covered a nice variety of opinions and perspectives. Whether you agree with them or not it showed how different people feel about the progress of the last several years on H Street
Agreed fatty.
More of this drivel?
Neighborhood is changing. It's becoming more mixed. More interesting. A dominance of any one ethnic group isn't good. Some people are choosing to cash in and leave. Others are staying put. Property tax increases are capped at 10% so no one is really forcing residents out. Retail rents are much higher, which requires more capital and a more viable business model to adapt to changing times. The fact that you have neither is no one's fault but your own. I completely agree with Englert's views on gentrification, as noted in the Washingtonian. One thing we can all agree on is that the progress(in this neighborhood and city-wide) has been remarkable over the past five of years. Progress in terms of livability, safety, economic growth and potential, all that stuff. And progress is preferable on a grand scale to stagnation.
Oh man, that Loretta woman was definitely double parked in front of Popeyes. Why else would anyone (Caucasian or otherwise) just spontaneously begin to yell at her?
I cant stand how many people just come to a dead stop in the middle of the street and put on their hazard lights. I have seen so many near collisions because of this. The VAST majority of people I see doing this are older black people. I think they probably could get away doing this for the past 30 years. But they fail to recognize that H Street has grown and they cant just selfishly double park whenever they want.
And this woman epitomizes the most frustrating part of it all. Here you have a person seemingly upset and confused as to why someone would yell at her, when SHE was the one breaking the law. "And the police didnt do anything about it!" Yeah, exactly the police didnt do anything about YOU breaking the law!!!
Rant over.
lol @double parking, especially when the street cars start running. Whatchu mean I can't run in and get my Horace N Dickies?? @*($&@(*
Sang Ho Development, LLC
I thought she said she was blocked (not blocking someone by being double parked)
Seems like an accurate depiction of what’s going on around here and its not just DC. The same thing is happening all across the country. I grew up in DC and the old guy is right, it is alot more white people. The racial dimorphic has changed dramatically and for those of us who have been here more than ten years its really astonishing how fast its happening. Growing up here I've seen U street, CH, Verizon Center etc. all changed and H Street is what’s Now! What really changed all these places is the implementation of public transit. You can expect an entire New neighborhood if DDOT ever get the streetcars running. As a home owner im excited!
Regardless of how I feel about the content of the video, I'm just glad H Street keeps getting talked about...blogs, articles papers, videos. Bring it on and keep it coming.
@ AndTobago:
Residents are easily forced out. Their called renters - which most working class people (regardless of color) are. All a landlord needs to do is decide to sell the building. OR jack the rent up at the end of the lease high enough that it forces tenants to leave. OR stop maintaining the place so tenants don't want to live there any more.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for allowing people to fix up a neighborhood, and I'm all for reaping some reward for that through increased rents or property values.
But when the exact people who cleaned the neighborhood up in the first place (long term residents and newcomers who showed up to make it "up and coming") are forced out so faraway property owners can maximize their returns, its bulls%^&* and there should be some way to stop it.
@vinnie
When someone moves into an area and lives there for over a decade, shouldn't they be moving towards purchasing? I understand being upset over property taxes that are too high and force people out, but when you are a renter aren't you assuming the risk that rents will go up at the landlord's discretion?
Jack up rent too high you say? I don't think so. http://och.georgetown.edu/uploadedfiles/rentcontrolfactsheet0409.pdf
Sure a landlord can decide to sell the building, but that is their right and prerogative. What they can't do is unreasonably jack up rent beyond what the law allows. So that argument is bull.
As a side note, I live on a block that is mostly renters. I have never come across a more disrespectful bunch of people in my entire life and I have lived in DC over a decade. I will be happy to see them gone and so will all the older residents on the block who can't stand the constant noise/trash/disrespect either.
in order for somone to move into this neighborhood and buy a house, someone who already lives here or owns here must move out and sell a house. when do we talk about the homeowners and residents who are cshing out, selling out and making a profit by leaving their neighborhood. why are the residents moving in perceived as the bad guys?
Who said new residents moving in are bad guys? O yea the one lady double parked in front of Poppies. She was obviously upset about the what happen so I think her opinion is a bit bias. Lets face it new resident equals better property values. We all want are investment to appreciate.
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