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Monday, May 20, 2013
RE: Henry Harry's Open Letter to Jay Schenirer
by Michael Boyd, published on September 28, 2012 at 8:09 PM
Storyline: Oak Park
Henry,
Wow, that is quite a “quick comment”. I hope you will continue to write on this vital issue and explore the situation in much more depth.
I agree with you that gentrification of an area is not a desired outcome if you care about economic equality, justice and humanity. Fighting the negative pressures of redevelopment/revitalization is one of my primary concerns and it motivates me to contribute my time and energy to the Oak Park community. To me, gentrification denotes the displacement of current residents as rents and property values increases.That is a very possible outcome for Oak Park. It is not the only outcome nor is it one we can accept.
We all claim to value and love diversification but let’s be honest. It doesn’t look that way in far too many situations. How many times do we all attend functions where the overwhelming majority looks like us? How many birthday parties, New Year’s celebrations, holiday gatherings, and birthdays are truly diverse? Not enough. This doesn’t mean we don’t value diversification, but it does mean that we’ve too often not enjoyed it in our social and everyday lives.
That’s understandable; values are often something we must continuously strive toward. They are often the underpinnings of goals.
Oak Park deserves or, at least, needs revitalization, right? Currently we see too few shopping choices, too few jobs, and too few opportunities for civic engagement. New and sensitive growth is welcome can help us in achieving more equality. But, it will not happen by chance.
As Historic Oak Park demonstrates that there is money to be made here, money will flow into our community. Development will follow and we’ll see either revitalization or gentrification. We can ascribe blame to others, economic realities, racism, history, capitalism, and many other factors. And we should attempt to understand the roots of the problems. At the same time, however, we should work to assure that we direct and influence the direction our community takes and avoid being crippled by analysis. We should also make certain that development, while welcome, is based on consultation with residents—consultation, not presentations of “done deals”.
We will not assure the future we desire if we don’t start now, right now, working together as a community who cares about all of its residents. We will not be powerful if we act alone. By working as a community we have more power and more opportunity to have influence. Oak Park demonstrated that it has a powerful voice during the City Council District redistricting process. Our voices matter and we can demand they are heard. One voice is beautiful while many voices are powerful. Let’s be both beautiful and powerful!
Henry, I assure you that I don’t pretend to know the answers. I do feel certain, however, about process. I am confident that combined voices are much loader and demand attention. Let’s determine our own futures by working together. NO young blacks should ever be are “made more and more outcasts in their own neighborhood.” No human should ever be made to feel like an outcast in their own neighborhoods.
A couple of notes:
First, we should work with our elected officials when they are working for us. Jay Schenirer has demonstrated that he is committed to the values and goals that will move Oak Park into a community of economic and racial equality. He is on our side, an asset to our community and a powerful ally. Let’s work together to make use of his experience and knowledge while holding him accountable to representing Oak Park for all residents. I am certain that he would agree with this sentiment and I also know this is exactly what he has been doing.
Second, let’s determine the best way(s) to work together. One organization that is already leading the way is The Oak Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA). As a longtime leader in the community, OPNA, is positioned to fight for all of Oak Park, but, it cannot happen without participation of the residents. That includes you and all others who truly care about making a difference.
Third, this response is simply meant to be an invitation to further exploration of the challenges we face in Oak Park. Let’s truly discuss how we can best serve our community by “Preserving our history while creating our future”.
Disclosure:
This is a personal response to Henry Harry's open letter. I am the president of OPNA but this comment is not representing an official position as I've written it on my own and not submitted to to OPNA. I'm also an Oak Park resident.
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A block of luxury homes would create economic activity at a very local level. Yes it would raise rents, but it would also would raise property values for many homeowners who have been underwater in recent years.
Maybe its just not cool to admit that the presence of wealthy people can benefit a community. Are we really at the point where we see private wealth as a problem that must be summarily dismissed?
If folks on EBT want to go to a restaurant, or a coffee shop, there has to be a mix of income in the neighborhood that will support the businesses day to day... That cannot happen when every new development is specifically built to serve only low income.
Also, please let me know when or how I indicated that I do not support economic diversity. In Oak Park, exactly what "development is specifically built to serve only low income"?
And if you want a house that appeals to higher income: Buy a neglected one and do it up. Its happening all over the place.
Let's talk now about how we can all work together to stop the inequalities that are rooted in racism and economic inequalities. If we wait, our voices will be weaker. Let's bring our community together to learn how we can protect our most vulnerable , while working to improve life for all of us.
I don’t quite understand assertions that it is difficult for young people to purchase housing in Oak Park. Housing here is cheap.
It would seem inappropriate to frame the issue of being unable to achieve home owners as being an exclusive problem for black people. As a diverse neighborhood, many races face similar challenges.
Framing this as a problem caused exclusively by white people perpetrated against blacks, is neither true, nor helpful.
Taken in context of the last ten years, housing prices have never been cheaper in Oak Park. There are plenty of starter homes in Oak Park available for well under $100, 000. The idea that home ownership has become expensive in Oak Park is not supported by facts: And owning is often cheaper than renting.
It is hard to purchase a house when you a poor, but poverty knows no color: There are many different people in Oak Park, with no clear majority. Although household incomes of about half the community are below $25,000 this problem is shared by many races of the community.
The mayor of Sacramento was not only raised in Oak Park, and his mother continues to live here. He is black. He should also be included as an addressee alerting him to the issue of home ownership. He too has a vote in City Hall, and it is arguable that he has more power and influence than others to protect interests of the Oak Park community. Channeling a frustration exclusively towards Councillor Sheiner is unfair, but also, in a very subtle manner, perpetuates an us versus them, white versus black animosity.
As for the white people that have come to Oak Park to “enjoy the benefits of home ownership”: The housing market has taken a nose dive over the last five years. Many new buyers are “underwater”, equity destroyed. What benefit is that? And lets paint a more complete full picture: The offset is Oak Park has plenty of ongoing problems: We know what they are. Dirty laundry not required here.
The idea that young people, as a birth right of being black – or any other color for, should be able to buy a house in the same neighborhood that they grew up in, doesn’t bare up to scrutiny: Young people of any stripe, on a starter wage, nearly always have to buy where housing is more affordable. And the new homeowners in Oak Park are not exclusively white: New residents include Pakistanis, Asians and Latinos.
New members of the community have worked hard for home ownership. And on any weekend they can be observed helping build the community, at community gardens, attending clean ups in McClatchy Park. Attend a house dedication with Habitat for Humanity: Not only is it a great example to work your way in to a new home, they are often repairing dilapidated houses, but most importantly you will see this is a great opportunity for home ownership open to all members of the community. They have helped people of many race and color to achieve this dream. Including black people. And it is this hard work that not only builds the value and equity of their house but also builds on the value of other homes in the community. What a wonderful free ride for those who are long-term homeowners.
Harry, the people that have moved here have chosen not to live in the plain vanilla soul sucking cookie cutter communities that are on the fringes of Sacramento. They have actually chosen to move here because they want to embrace diversity: Including people such as yourself. But at the same time, they walk on egg-shells. Most are sensitive and aware of the history and consequential residual resentment which some people chose to carry. They know some long-term residents are angry about “gentrification”. At time it is palpable, and they act accordingly. But the best outcome for all residents of Oak Park is to build home ownership, and convert existing rentals – many of them in substandard condition – to affordable starter homes. There is nothing better than a neighbor with skin in the game, and it seems to be a universal truth that homeowners make better neighbors than renters. Smart residents - including new residents - want both increased home ownership and diversity.
It is inevitable that Oak Park will continue its renaissance. Get on board. Identify the young people in your community who are looking to own homes. (For that matter, who are these people? We hear the vociferous complaints you are making, which are repeated by others – but lets hear it from these youngsters: Lets hear it in City Hall, as open letters to this and other publications) Embrace the opportunity of cheap housing, (it will soon disappear) and reach out to other members of the broader Oak Park community who you may find are more than willing to assist young people reach their dream of home ownership.
We don’t need to feed misconceptions of birthrights, victimization or privilege. These, and racism are not the values of your newer neighbors. Embracing diversity and supporting the achievable dream of homeownership are.
Thanks for the very thoughtful addition to this conversation. Do you attend the OPNA meetings? I hope you will on Thursday, Oct. 4, and introduce yourself to me.
But that is sad commentary that a community taking such a large level of government assistance could be in any position to reject those wishing to invest.
What about the Fourth Avenue lofts which were designed by Ron Vrilakas and built in 2007?
They were priced over $300,000 and sold during the downturn.
Many would consider them luxury homes as they would have sold well over $400,000 in midtown.
The Oak Park community was very accepting .
The danger is not from such homes but from lack of opportunity to buy/rent less costly housing. That is why we must continue building home ownership now before prices go up. Let's make sure current residents also benefit from revitalization.
That's a big part of what habitat for humanity and Neighborworks does--getting people in houses now.
Maybe this is the time to consider some rent control?
Also, now is the time to strategize about helping new & exiting businesses hire local people. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
We're not really in disagreement about what we'd like to see though, but we have different conclusions about what the likely outcome would be and why.