Housing activists frequently demand that long-time residents of a community have a voice in new development within a neighborhood, particularly when gentrification threatens to change the character of the area. In many instances, they lobby government officials to force a developer to “negotiate” with community representatives. But these “negotiations” are simply a cover for extortion. If the developer doesn’t agree to the demands of the representatives, the community will not support the project and the government will not grant permission to proceed.
If community members want a voice in new development, rather than use the coercive power of government, they should put their money where their mouth is. They should invest in their community, rather than resort to strong-arm tactics.
Granted, the residents of these communities often have low incomes, and this certainly poses a significant obstacle. But obstacles are not impenetrable barriers and can be overcome with perseverance and imagination. An example can be found in New York City.
In the early 1980s, Mayor Ed Koch sold sixteen square miles of abandoned lots in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood to a group of local churches for $1 per lot. About 1,250 homes were initially built and the area was revitalized. Following this model, more than 3,000 additional homes were later built in the New York City area.
A similar effort occurred in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood. The area has a poverty rate twice that of the rest of the city and there are more than 2,000 vacant lots. In the early 2000s the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation, along with another local non-profit, built about one hundred new homes on lots donated by the city before the city balked at donating more land.
Both of these examples show what is possible when individuals and businesses take ownership of their community. If one wants a better life, or a better community, one must take responsibility. One must take the actions necessary to attain that value.