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I imagine that one of the reasons why Fort Greene and Clinton Hill are getting NYtimes-attention is their rapid demographic shift of the last few years, which followed the steady demographic shift of the preceding years. It might be useful to have discussion about that shift.
When my partner and I first moved to the area, in 2001, we were oblivious to the ongoing gentrification. We wanted to be in Brooklyn and close to Manhattan. We weren’t concerned with the cultural changes to which we were contributing.
Eight years later, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill are almost unrecognizable. That’s not meant to be a value-laden observation. I’m not eschewing change. I am, however, calling attention to the exclusion that accompanied the neighborhoods’ change.
Our working-class and poor neighbors were priced out of their homes. They’ve been pushed east or stacked high (in projects). And they’re left wondering why they haven’t also benefited (as much) from the positive changes? Where is their representation in the job force that was brought about by new restaurants and other small businesses?
Some of our business leaders and local elected officials have made efforts to bridge together the residents of the past, present, and future. But these efforts are missing on a larger scale.
This isn’t meant to be an anti-gentrification rant (who am i, after all?), but our communities are at an interesting juncture. We can continue to ignore the cultural clash that bubbles under the surface, or we can have conversations about it. For the people who aren’t interested in having a tightly-knit, lovey-dovey community… that’s fine. But ignoring the divide between old and new residents will have ramifications that we won’t be able to ignore, especially in the economic environment in which we find ourselves.
Long story short: unemployment, poverty, desperation, disaffection, and marginalization lead to crime, of all kinds.
According to a recent Town Hall meeting, we learned from the two local precincts that most crimes have decreased in the last year. But these statistics came before the recession was front and center.
I don’t think that we should wait for a spike in crime in order to focus on some long-term solutions. The police isn’t going to save us. First of all, NYPD funding is on the chopping block. Second, the criminal justice system (apart from being an oxymoron) is a revolving door. Too many people go into the system with a drug habit but leave the system being capable of much, much worse. Don’t bank on rehabilitation.
As residents of CH and FG, we need to get to know each other better and watch out for each other: A tight-knit community makes for a safe neighborhood. We also need to make sure that we all benefit from positive changes. Local jobs should go to whoever need them most. As Councilmember James says, challenge your local business owners to hire locally.
Too many people live in fear of “the projects.” However, these housing developments have governing structures and internal civic societies with liaisons. Liaisons who are looking for opportunities to connect residents (especially youth) with jobs. Business owners, reach out to them directly, or contact Councilmember James’s office; she has always been accessible and especially for this type of endeavor.
Andy, thank you for the space, and I hope that you will use this venue to discuss some of these issues.
― — Public health filmmaker (ice cr?m), Tuesday, 3 March 2009 17:18 (fifteen years ago) link