A look at what's going on in Trinidad, on H Street, and in the larger area north of Capitol Hill.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Post: Gentrification in DC
Here's a really great article from the Post on gentrification in DC. The author writes about his neighborhood (Takoma), but also about the city-wide (or, almost city-wide) trend. Thanks to Kenny G. for leaving it in the comments.
That is a good article. I think it showed that the neighborhood changes are multifaceted. The only thing however is that gentrification does lead to a higher tax base--which I think is still good for the neighborhood--but that does lead to taxes increasing and can make it tough for people to afford to keep paying, especially if they are older with no steady income base. Not sure how much the homestead law protects people here.
Seniors also get special help on their property taxes in DC. I believe the Council also created some kind of cap on property taxes for situations like that, but I don't recall the details (what happened with it, whether it was age, or income, or both that were supposed to trigger it).
Also, I feel like there is a neighborhood vibe where I live. I occasionally sit and drink tea with the older woman who lives down the street from me and watches the street from her porch. I can also think of times when my neighbors on I Street all came out to help people who were having car troubles, or needed to borrow snow shovels.
I must say I am moving from Lincoln Park to just off H street. I have already met more neighbors on my block then I knew the whole time by Lincoln Park. I think over there on my block there were a lot of younger more transitional people always in a hurry. Here where I am moving, folks have lived there for a while and maybe there is a more cohesive feel. We'll see
I agree- my husband and I moved to this area 3 years ago after having lived closer to "Capitol Hill" for almost 10 years. We most definitely have a "neighborhood" feel here than we did on East Cap or Independence. Upon arrival, five neighbors intorduced themselves to us within the first week. While on "Cap Hill" we only knew the other dog owners. Granted, currently I watch my back more than I did previously. I've never, however, felt directly threatened. (knock on wood). I have no desire to buy a house in the "heart of Cap Hill" .
5 comments:
bloomingdale, my neighborhood, is still a place where people say hi to each other on the street!
it might be less of a "black community" that it was when the author grew up here, but its just as much a "community"
That is a good article. I think it showed that the neighborhood changes are multifaceted. The only thing however is that gentrification does lead to a higher tax base--which I think is still good for the neighborhood--but that does lead to taxes increasing and can make it tough for people to afford to keep paying, especially if they are older with no steady income base. Not sure how much the homestead law protects people here.
Seniors also get special help on their property taxes in DC. I believe the Council also created some kind of cap on property taxes for situations like that, but I don't recall the details (what happened with it, whether it was age, or income, or both that were supposed to trigger it).
Also, I feel like there is a neighborhood vibe where I live. I occasionally sit and drink tea with the older woman who lives down the street from me and watches the street from her porch. I can also think of times when my neighbors on I Street all came out to help people who were having car troubles, or needed to borrow snow shovels.
I must say I am moving from Lincoln Park to just off H street. I have already met more neighbors on my block then I knew the whole time by Lincoln Park. I think over there on my block there were a lot of younger more transitional people always in a hurry. Here where I am moving, folks have lived there for a while and maybe there is a more cohesive feel. We'll see
I agree- my husband and I moved to this area 3 years ago after having lived closer to "Capitol Hill" for almost 10 years. We most definitely have a "neighborhood" feel here than we did on East Cap or Independence. Upon arrival, five neighbors intorduced themselves to us within the first week. While on "Cap Hill" we only knew the other dog owners. Granted, currently I watch my back more than I did previously. I've never, however, felt directly threatened. (knock on wood). I have no desire to buy a house in the "heart of Cap Hill" .
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