Friday, October 17, 2003
Ricky Raccoon
I heard him 3AM this morning kicking about in that crawl space between the ceiling and the roof. Did the one thing that I knew what to do in such situations, get up and turn on the bathroom fan, go back to bed. Apparently, the raccoon does not like bathroom fans.
I heard him 3AM this morning kicking about in that crawl space between the ceiling and the roof. Did the one thing that I knew what to do in such situations, get up and turn on the bathroom fan, go back to bed. Apparently, the raccoon does not like bathroom fans.
Thursday, October 16, 2003
DIE RACCOON DIE DIE DIE!!!
If this is an urban area why did I see a raccoon crossing Rhode Island Avenue at 6:40 AM this morning? Rhode Island is a 4 lane road, not counting street parking lanes, with an island. It crossed despite the cars. I was hoping one would hit it.
If this is an urban area why did I see a raccoon crossing Rhode Island Avenue at 6:40 AM this morning? Rhode Island is a 4 lane road, not counting street parking lanes, with an island. It crossed despite the cars. I was hoping one would hit it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
The Next American City: Gentrification October 15th, City Museum
It turned out better than I figured it would and when I left (a few minutes early) everyone was well behaved
It pays to get reservations. The event was sold out and the auditorium was packed to the gills with people, such as myself, sitting in the aisles. The crowd that came to hear the panelists was mixed. A few familiar faces from other neighborhood summits and events were littered among the sitting and standing.
If I were a good reporter, which I'm not, I'd say who exactly was on the panel. I'll have to edit this information in later.
Abido of Abido contruction was there, as well as a woman from LA Casa Maryland, two fellows representing Arlington and DC Housing authorities, and a rep from Columbia Heights.
I made no notes from the DC housing speaker. However he did talk about managing the investment and growth coming into the city. He did try to provide some perspective on the problems that DC had in the early days. Back in the bad old days before gentrification you could not get investors (commerical/residential) into areas of DC even with incentives. Later in the quesiton and answer period he illustrated it a bit better. During the Mayor Barry years there was a lot of vacant housing stock, but DC was near bankrupt (think Control Board), and absentee property owners weren't paying their taxes. DC did not have the money to buy these or any other property in order to rehab them for low income housing. Even if the city wasn't on the cusp of bankruptcy, banks weren't interested in investing in those areas. So basically DC didn't have the power to get ahead of the housing problem. When the markets began turning around, those absentee property owners began selling their shells, banks got interested in investing, and by the time people realized what was going on, it was too late to make a major impact. My own notes, governement moves slow, markets move fast.
Abido, said he first got into development because of historic preservation. He also said, and it explained why he might have been so willing to participate in the forum, that he only develops shells and other places where there is no occupant to displace. He also mentioned that when he started banks were not interested in backing his projects, they weren't interested in the neighborhoods where he was going.
The La Casa speaker defined gentrification as the replacement of one neighborhood with another. Her thing was with helping immigrants, some who have been in this country for 20 years.
The Columbia Heights speaker provided some examples of people being displaced due to gentrification. One example was of 20 lawyers decending on an apartment building, which intimidated the tenants. Even though the tenants had a legal right to fight what was going on, some just gave up and moved out. Regardless of your income level, lawyers are scary. He touched upon the issue of culture and gentrification. Newcomers describe problems as "those people" when "those people" happen to be the people who lived there before.
The speaker from Arlington gave a regional point of view of things. He threw out a figure of 294,000 units will be needed but are not available.
Good times.
It turned out better than I figured it would and when I left (a few minutes early) everyone was well behaved
It pays to get reservations. The event was sold out and the auditorium was packed to the gills with people, such as myself, sitting in the aisles. The crowd that came to hear the panelists was mixed. A few familiar faces from other neighborhood summits and events were littered among the sitting and standing.
If I were a good reporter, which I'm not, I'd say who exactly was on the panel. I'll have to edit this information in later.
Abido of Abido contruction was there, as well as a woman from LA Casa Maryland, two fellows representing Arlington and DC Housing authorities, and a rep from Columbia Heights.
I made no notes from the DC housing speaker. However he did talk about managing the investment and growth coming into the city. He did try to provide some perspective on the problems that DC had in the early days. Back in the bad old days before gentrification you could not get investors (commerical/residential) into areas of DC even with incentives. Later in the quesiton and answer period he illustrated it a bit better. During the Mayor Barry years there was a lot of vacant housing stock, but DC was near bankrupt (think Control Board), and absentee property owners weren't paying their taxes. DC did not have the money to buy these or any other property in order to rehab them for low income housing. Even if the city wasn't on the cusp of bankruptcy, banks weren't interested in investing in those areas. So basically DC didn't have the power to get ahead of the housing problem. When the markets began turning around, those absentee property owners began selling their shells, banks got interested in investing, and by the time people realized what was going on, it was too late to make a major impact. My own notes, governement moves slow, markets move fast.
Abido, said he first got into development because of historic preservation. He also said, and it explained why he might have been so willing to participate in the forum, that he only develops shells and other places where there is no occupant to displace. He also mentioned that when he started banks were not interested in backing his projects, they weren't interested in the neighborhoods where he was going.
The La Casa speaker defined gentrification as the replacement of one neighborhood with another. Her thing was with helping immigrants, some who have been in this country for 20 years.
The Columbia Heights speaker provided some examples of people being displaced due to gentrification. One example was of 20 lawyers decending on an apartment building, which intimidated the tenants. Even though the tenants had a legal right to fight what was going on, some just gave up and moved out. Regardless of your income level, lawyers are scary. He touched upon the issue of culture and gentrification. Newcomers describe problems as "those people" when "those people" happen to be the people who lived there before.
The speaker from Arlington gave a regional point of view of things. He threw out a figure of 294,000 units will be needed but are not available.
Good times.
Neighborhood Research
I am happy to work where I work. I have access to things. Things like ILL (interlibrary loan) and our own library and paid databases.
What began as research on my house became research on my neighborhood. With that I got it somehow related to my work. Black people, I'm researching black folk, yeah... So I don't feel guilty doing it. Supposedly it will be an article for Washington History in 2004 hopefully.
Well as hinted the research gods hated me this weekend. I was looking at the 1930 census (the plan, work backwards from 1930 to 1870) and tried to copy the microfilm. The copier was low on toner. SO the staff person had to take the toner cartrige out, shake it, and put it back in. This action was good for 1 or 2 copies. I had several pages.
I thought, forget this, I'm heading to the Washington Historical Society..... they don't have the 1930 census, they only go up to 1900.
Can't go to the National Archives downtown.... research room is closed for 2 weeks.
Research gods hate me, and they hate Truxton Circle.
The thesis of the paper/project? Tracking demographic trends in the neighborhood. So far, as I have done a little from 1890 to 1900 to 1930 and read up on DC history, I've seen some things. There is some over crowding. In my house in 1900 there were 11 people in the house. Please note my house is 14 feet wide and only 2 bedrooms. My block, so far, nothing but rental housing. This is a trend. As a homeowner this is disturbing as I have known of some bad cheap landlords.
I am happy to work where I work. I have access to things. Things like ILL (interlibrary loan) and our own library and paid databases.
What began as research on my house became research on my neighborhood. With that I got it somehow related to my work. Black people, I'm researching black folk, yeah... So I don't feel guilty doing it. Supposedly it will be an article for Washington History in 2004 hopefully.
Well as hinted the research gods hated me this weekend. I was looking at the 1930 census (the plan, work backwards from 1930 to 1870) and tried to copy the microfilm. The copier was low on toner. SO the staff person had to take the toner cartrige out, shake it, and put it back in. This action was good for 1 or 2 copies. I had several pages.
I thought, forget this, I'm heading to the Washington Historical Society..... they don't have the 1930 census, they only go up to 1900.
Can't go to the National Archives downtown.... research room is closed for 2 weeks.
Research gods hate me, and they hate Truxton Circle.
The thesis of the paper/project? Tracking demographic trends in the neighborhood. So far, as I have done a little from 1890 to 1900 to 1930 and read up on DC history, I've seen some things. There is some over crowding. In my house in 1900 there were 11 people in the house. Please note my house is 14 feet wide and only 2 bedrooms. My block, so far, nothing but rental housing. This is a trend. As a homeowner this is disturbing as I have known of some bad cheap landlords.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Warehouse Theater
When the research gods decided I should do no more (long story, I may tell later) I wandered from the Washington DC City Museum and decided I would head home. But on the way I stopped by the Warehouse Theater, which is also a coffee shop. Luckily they have tea since I don't drink coffee.
Besides coffee they have art. If I had $700 I had nothing to do with and more wall space there was a piece I'd love to have in my house. Sadly, small walls and all money goes to the house.
At the same time they were rehearsing for a political piece of puppet theater. Dialog good, voices not so good.
I looked around and thought this would make a cool meeting spot. It's close to the Mt. Vernon Sq. metro. There is space to just chill.
When the research gods decided I should do no more (long story, I may tell later) I wandered from the Washington DC City Museum and decided I would head home. But on the way I stopped by the Warehouse Theater, which is also a coffee shop. Luckily they have tea since I don't drink coffee.
Besides coffee they have art. If I had $700 I had nothing to do with and more wall space there was a piece I'd love to have in my house. Sadly, small walls and all money goes to the house.
At the same time they were rehearsing for a political piece of puppet theater. Dialog good, voices not so good.
I looked around and thought this would make a cool meeting spot. It's close to the Mt. Vernon Sq. metro. There is space to just chill.
Sad
Half way through finishing staining my fence when I wonder.... do I actually like this color?
Half way through finishing staining my fence when I wonder.... do I actually like this color?
Sunday, October 12, 2003
Churches and Shaw
If there are two things the neighborhood has aplenty, they are liquor stores and churches. The odd thing about the churches is that many congregants of said churches don't live in the neighborhood. I cannot and will not condemn on that point, as I myself attend in Northern Virginia. My Aunt #1 drives all the way from the Hyattsville area to go to Shilo Bapist Church. When Aunt #2 is not hampered by CP* time disorder she tries to make it from near Howard Co., but by the time she shows all the parking in the tiny lot the church owns is gone. Every Sunday folks from the 'burbs flock into the city to attend church and go back home. They are now having to fight with residents for parking.
Back when I was a kid visiting Aunts #1 and #2 I believe there was plenty parking. Shaw was a BAD neighborhood. There weren't that many people as I recall. Of course I really don't remember that much about the environment outside the church, my more vivid memories are of the events inside the church.
Now people are rehabbing once vacant housing and moving in with their cars. It's becoming a problem. Some churches have begun to move out because of it, or at least make plans to move where their congregants live.... Maryland.
*Colored People's Time Disorder. This disorder strikes so many of our people and leaves them unable to show up at functions in a timely manner. Not only are those directly hampered by this victims but their friends and family as well. Yes, some of us are still annoyed that a whole family suffering from CP time disorder showed up 2 hours late for Thanksgiving dinner. And some wonder why I don't want to host this year......
If there are two things the neighborhood has aplenty, they are liquor stores and churches. The odd thing about the churches is that many congregants of said churches don't live in the neighborhood. I cannot and will not condemn on that point, as I myself attend in Northern Virginia. My Aunt #1 drives all the way from the Hyattsville area to go to Shilo Bapist Church. When Aunt #2 is not hampered by CP* time disorder she tries to make it from near Howard Co., but by the time she shows all the parking in the tiny lot the church owns is gone. Every Sunday folks from the 'burbs flock into the city to attend church and go back home. They are now having to fight with residents for parking.
Back when I was a kid visiting Aunts #1 and #2 I believe there was plenty parking. Shaw was a BAD neighborhood. There weren't that many people as I recall. Of course I really don't remember that much about the environment outside the church, my more vivid memories are of the events inside the church.
Now people are rehabbing once vacant housing and moving in with their cars. It's becoming a problem. Some churches have begun to move out because of it, or at least make plans to move where their congregants live.... Maryland.
*Colored People's Time Disorder. This disorder strikes so many of our people and leaves them unable to show up at functions in a timely manner. Not only are those directly hampered by this victims but their friends and family as well. Yes, some of us are still annoyed that a whole family suffering from CP time disorder showed up 2 hours late for Thanksgiving dinner. And some wonder why I don't want to host this year......
