So I just read this story about how Washington, DC has the widest gap between rich and poor. That’s no surprise – it’s well known among those that have lived in/near the area is that one block is GORGEOUS and the next block is piss-poor. Georgetown and the area near American University is phenomenal and the area near the Navy Yards is atrocious.
So I had to laugh when I saw this in the article: “Just last week, the city council approved a new authority to implement a $4 billion redevelopment of land along the Anacostia River, which has divided one of the poorest neighborhoods from the rest of DC.”
Uh…Anacostia? There is no way in hell I would ever even think about moving to Anacostia – I don’t care HOW much you think you can gentrify the area. I’ve been to Anacostia many times – or rather, I’ve gotten lost and driven through Anacostia several times trying not to draw attention to myself as I find my way back to civilization. I would highly doubt that any amount of money into that area would make it someplace someone would want to live. No joke – it’s a pit. It’s worse than Memphis!
But seriously, I hope it goes well – I hope that the city of DC isn’t pumping money into a neighborhood that will NEVER right itself, that will NEVER become gentrified, and will NEVER be a place that people want to hang their hats. Because right now? I think the money could be better spent elsewhere.
Never doubt the power of a well-thought out revitalization plan. Neighborhoods in Philadelphia that I thought would never ever be livable have become pretty nice. I’m constantly amazed.
Of course, I always have to wonder what they do with with the poor people who live there. Do they just buy them out and ship them to another neighborhood? Do they provide incentives to get job training in order to get higher paying jobs, thus making it possible for people to spend money for property beautification?
Eh. Anyway, I would love to see something done in DC to ease the poverty. It’s a real shame that things are so awful.
Being from that area, I found your post amusing and true. Anacostia is a very nasty area and I wouldn’t send my worst enemy to walk there during the day.
However, DC history of taking a bad area and making it better.(from what I heard) Dupont Circle was not the best area to be in 20-30 yrs ago. Now its a place where everyone is friendly and a place where people want to live.
But the question is, Ace: Where did the “undesirables” of Dupont Circle go? Most likely somewhere like SE DC or ANACOSTIA.
Northeast seems to be where a lot of the problems are these days.