[lbo-talk] Re: gentrification (was Whole Foods)

Hilary Russ hilarious4 at msn.com
Fri May 30 11:33:06 PDT 2003


The issue is not whether mom and pop stores feel warm and fuzzy, and it's ridiculous to think that the argument against gentrification is made by people who are purely interested in how cozy or cute a nabe feels. (Although a ton of native New Yorkers I've spoken to, including very low income people, hardly ever leave their own neighborhood unless it's to go to work. Hence their very real feeling of defending a "community.") Are you sure you're not thinking of historic preservationists?

These stores are necessary because small business ownership from local residents is precisely what can improve the economic base of a neighborhood. The bigger, badder tax base that's needed doesn't have to be completely imported from the burbs. How could supporting small, independently owned businesses possibly contribute to urban decline?

-Hilary

----- Original Message ----- From: "Wojtek Sokolowski"


> Unfortunately, much of the anti-gentrification rant is of the same homey
> small -town (or "neighborhhod" as it is called in Baltimore) localism.
> These folks like their little niche with a corner mom-and-pop store and
> seldom notice that it is surrounded by a sea of dilapidated housing,
> lack of any services, reatil an durban decline in general.
>
> My main argument againts this kind of localism is that contributes to
> urban decline and makes US cities unlivable.
>
> The only way to revere that sad trend is to attract people back to the
> cities, and the only way to do it is throuh the dreaded
> "gentrification." Personally I do not like the new-age yuppies and
> would not befriend one, but I like them for their neighborhood effect,
> or externalities if you will. When the yuppies move int, theiy do not
> move to the burbs, their taxes go to the city, the retail outlets and
> service start coming back, new jobs are created and most folks benefit.
> It may not have the old homey small town feeling anymore - but that is a
> different story.


>
> Wojtek
>
>
>
>
>
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