Category: Uncategorized

Fun with ProQuest: Black middle class tries to help

From “D.C. Frontiers, Inner-City Renewal Project, Will Open Soon: Inner-City Renewal Housing Project to Open Soon” by John Saar, Washington Post, 8/13/1973 pC1
Quick abstract: Black businessmen and other AfAm professionals in the form of non-profit DC Frontiers Inc, build, at a financial loss several (and after sever set backs) townhomes at 14th & S, 11th & M, & 11th & N for low income families.

You can still walk by those townhouses today and after 30 some odd years you could say that the project was a success. In the article there was expressed concern that the surrounding decay would undermine the goals of the project. There was a problem with theft while the building was getting built, some snafus that added to construction expenses and there was this inflation thing going on in the 70s. Despite all that the buildings got built stable families got in them and they survived the Crack Barry years and the gentrification.

According to the article, DC Frontiers Inc was more successful than RLA (Redevelopment Land Agency). The difference between the two (besides one being smaller and non-govt) was DC Frontiers aimed for low density and homeownership whereas RLA was high density and rentals, which would be “recreating the old ghetto conditions.” The Frontiers houses aimed for something the high rise apartments for poor families wouldn’t have, a living room for the parents, play room for the children, a small yard, space for living.

The black middle class I write of were doctors, lawyers, Realtors and such who sponsored the construction costs of building the houses. They wanted to do something to help rebuild the area and they did by offering an alternative. As I mentioned RLA was aiming for high density high-rises, which solves the problem of putting roofs over peoples heads, but does little in stabilizing black families and helping them build wealth.

Frontiers sought to ‘reseed’ 14th St NW with families with low but steady incomes who paid their rent on time and turn those families into homeowners. Candidates were chosen by what sounded like the lottery method, and had three years after moving in to decide if they wanted to buy. There was a monetary deposit that in 2007 dollars is $1,604.16 and the option of taking a 25 year mortgage.

Another form of criticism in the article I see aimed at RLA that was a problem then is probably a cause of development problems now (or not, it’s an opinion). RLA costs were ‘unnecessarily’ high because the project bought a lot of commercially zoned land for residential purposes. For you kids who don’t know, commercial lot is way more expensive than residential lot. Both could be the same in every way, one is more expensive. Fast forward to 2007, hey guess what is sitting on the commercial strips of 7th?

Other opinions on the hole

I have shown the hole, the one in the load bearing wall, to a few folks.
Auntie, who came by with the camera to take pictures that she can’t seem to email to me, just said, “Oh.”
IT looked at the hole as well as a lot of brick I exposed and he expressed concern about the mortar in the party walls, remarking that there was lots of sandy mortar. Sandy, sandy mortar.
Lastly, I was able to get a contractor to look at it. After a string of cursing and tearing away the hanging plaster, he expressed disbelief in the idea that someone thought they could get away with hiding this. Well it’s gonna add to my construction costs. Lucky enough, there was a steel beam that could support the wall already supporting the floor of the kitchen. However, walls and part of the ceiling in the basement may need to be exposed to deal with the problem. And maybe a wall in the kitchen. Two places I thought would be free from construction, so I didn’t bother packing up those rooms. Now I have to.

Renovation 2007: Thou shalt not kill

Forgive me, O Lord, for the sinful thoughts that welled up in my heart, for desiring to hire a hit man to deal with a certain Nigerian contractor, and place in my renovation budget. May the murderous anger that fills me be replaced by charity and forgiveness. And I ask, may I not find any more like surprises that trigger these thoughts in the first place. Amen.

I haven’t mentioned him in a while because dang it, I moved on, and I just attributed many of these things to nameless ‘crackheads.’ Yet, I am going to say, and warn all who read this posting, if you meet up with a Nigerian contractor named Sunny, don’t let him anywhere near your house. If you buy a house that was recently ‘fixed’ or ‘renovated’ by this man, tear everything down to the party walls and the joists. Why? Because this man’s ‘work’ is dangerous.
I’ve begun part of the demo in the house and while whacking away at sections of drywall I discovered something that makes me afraid to sleep in my house. Sunny, being the contractor who ‘renovated’ the house for sale had a false wall near the part of the house that meets up with the kitchen.
I had gathered that the false wall was built to hide the radiator pipes. Yes, that and something else. There was a big crack hidden behind the wall that I’d seen the top of and figured I would fix in this renovation. This week I pulled back more of the drywall and discovered that big crack jagged down to an enormous sized hole about 2 feet wide and 1.5 feet from the floor. This hole continues through the floor revealing the joists and the drywall for the ceiling of the cellar.
Unfortunately I haven’t gotten a real camera yet and my Palm camera can’t get the lighting right so I’ll have to describe this. Start about 4 feet from the ground with a crack in the plaster. Go down about 1.5 feet and increase the size of the crack creating a 1/2 gap in the crack. Three feet, make the gap 1 inch. Then from there open up a big hole, where near the top you see a brick hanging loosely. Behind most of the plaster surrounding the hole, nothing. At the bottom of the hole you will see joists, wires, and three bricks sitting on the ceiling of the basement.
The reason for the murderous thoughts was what the big hole meant. Above the wall that sits between the 1 floor kitchen and the main structure is an exterior brick wall. I’ve always wondered what was keeping up that brick wall seeing that the basement didn’t continue that wall….. Apparently, nothing! Nothing is keeping up that wall! That wall being my bedroom wall, the wall that my bed leans on. Sunny’s cheap ass slap dash crackhead work put the structure of my house and possibly my life in danger. I. Was. Livid!
I can forgive the superglued plumbing, the unsecured plumbing, the wiring that makes no sense, the toilet encased in tile, the poor paint job, the crooked windows, and the nasty textured paint, but this, no.

Citizen debate on School Take Over

Premier Community Development Corporation (PCDC)
For Immediate Release: April 3, 2007

Contact: Hazel Thomas, Chair, 202-491-9245

Dominique West, Forum Chair, 202-898-5063

Stephanie Rones, Ex. Director, 202-250-PCDC

Citizens to Debate Council Vote and School Takeover

Proposal at PCDC Pubic Forum on April 11th

The first vote by the City Council has been taken, and now it is time for reactions, political analysis, and commentary. Join Premier Community Development Corporation (PCDC) on Wednesday, April 11, 2007, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, at North Michigan Park Recreation Center, 13th and Emerson Streets, N.E., Washington, D.C. for a forum on the school takeover and the aftermath of the Council vote. Where do we go from here? PCDC is sponsoring a forum with a panel of media, civic leaders, labor, and officials to discuss the pros and cons of the pending takeover of the D.C. public schools. The forum entitled: “Standing Up for Children, Families, and Communities: The Role of Government and Stakeholders in Improving Our Schools, Our Neighborhoods,” is free and open to the public.

The Forum will be a public discourse on school governance and will focus on critical topics such as: citizens’ involvement in the decision making process, the impact of the environment on academic achievement in the District, and possible solutions to improving schools and neighborhoods. Invited guest panelist include: representatives from the Mayor’s office, School Board President, Robert Bobb and others. The panel will address questions from the moderator and the audience; for example:

▪ What is the cost of the proposed school takeover and the impact on bureaucracy?

▪ What does accountability entail? Will being in charge guarantee success and problems fixed?

▪ How can D.C. reduce the problems in communities and homes that affect teaching and learning?

▪ How can the D.C. school system improve school performance now?

▪ What are the roles and responsibilities of parents, teachers, civic leaders, business leaders, labor, faith community, and government leaders in improving education?

▪ How does the “No Child Left Behind” law impact schools?

▪ How can we make a difference in education and make D.C. a model for the world?

▪ Should traditional D.C. schools be funded like charter schools? Why are charter and traditional schools regulated differently overall?

▪ Should there be a referendum for any Home Rule charter changes? Can we wait for Wards 4 and 7 elections?

▪ The mayoral schools takeover–a panacea, cure-all, current fad, or public relations attention-grabber?▪

The forum is free and open to the public.- More – (flyer attached) –

Premier Community Development Corporation

Improving Ward 5 Housing, Economic Development and Quality of Life

1309 Rhode Island Ave. NE Suite B, Washington, D.C. 20018 ♦ Phone: 202.250.PCDC ♦ Fax: 202.250.PCD3 ♦ premiercdc@yahoo.com

Development Corporation (PCDC)
Improving Housing, Economic Development, and Quality of Life
Where Do We Go from Here?
Sound Off Pro or Con

Share Your Views on the

School Takeover and the Council Vote

Wednesday, April 11, 2007, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

North Michigan Park Recreation Center

13th and Emerson Streets, N. E. Washington , D.C.
Join Us for Political Analysis, Commentary, and Citizens’ Reaction

By Civic Leaders, Labor, Officials, and the Media
With

LaToya Foster, Moderator
In the Know TV Talk Show Host/WOL Radio Talk Show Host

Media Panel

Deborah Simmons HamilHarris

Washington Times Washington Post
James Wright
Washington Afro
Citizens Panel
Earl Neal
AFSCME
Cherita Whiting
Ward 4 Education Council
Marc Borbley
Fix Our Schools
Robert Brannum
DC Federation of Civic Associations
Dennis Moore
DC Independents for Citizen Control
Eric J. Jones
Democratic Political Activist
Jamal Tuner
Commissioner, ANC 7A-06
A PCDC forum – Standing Up For Children, Families, & Communities:

The Role of Government and Stakeholders in Improving Our Schools, Our Neighborhoods

1309 Rhode Island Ave. NE Suite B, Washington , D.C. 20018 ♦ Phone: 202.250.PCDC ♦ Fax: 202.250.PCD3 premiercdc@yahoo.com

Bricks & mortar in the hood vs the Internet

I have been hesitant to blog something that has been on my mind. My goal is not to poo-poo some one’s dream or hurt business. It is mainly me, as a customer, in my role as a consumer, expressing myself.

Way back, when I first moved here about 5 years ago, residents, newbies and some old timers vocalized a desire for certain businesses that would serve the community. One of those types of businesses was a video rental place. At this moment I have zero interest in a video rental store. Why? Netflix, need I say more. I seriously doubt a neighborhood store would have the variety of foreign with English in subtitles type of movies I like. I’m actually happy with Netflix, and I can’t see myself trudging down to a store to be confronted with 20 billion copies of that recently released Action Rom Com and a few copies of foreign films, half of which are Kung Fu movies.

Another business, not requested but existing, I don’t see myself as a customer. There is a clothing type shop that opened up in the TC recently (in the past year) and I went in with high hopes. However I couldn’t find anything I wanted to buy. There is an online store that I frequent that sells like but higher quality merchandise with more variety, which makes shopping at the TC store unnecessary. I do hope the store succeeds, but sadly it won’t have me as a customer.

There are other businesses around and about the neighborhood that will have me as a customer because I need their physical presence. Like the dry cleaners or quickie mart, because I need milk or a can of tuna, now.

Misc

You know, walls you plan to tear down are great for drawing large stick figures on. Yet, I’m not one for great graffiti. I have one single stick figure reminding me to clean out the fridge and call my grandma. A friend came by and wrote “Happy Easter” on another wall. I would invite others to draw on my walls but I’m afraid someone would go for one the the walls that isn’t getting torn down.

Also I heard about the anti-crime church march thing that happened this past weekend. Obama (invited guest) did not show. Noticed it was not covered at all by the Post, but the Post tends to pick and choose, and thus is not the best for local news.

Passed by the Big Bear Cafe. Not open yet. Inside looks very promising, there are some chairs and tables. Very promising.

Before I pass out and go to bed, my personal and completely flawed BACA meeting notes are up at This meeting, never happened. User: Thismeeting Pwd:Neverhappened and no I will not email this to you. Note that I’m in a slightly grumpy mood. Someone [me] needs a nap.

Fun with ProQuest: An obseravation

I’ve been taking quick peeks at the Washington Post articles on ProQuest and there is something about how I approach them. Being in 2007, I’m aware how things turn out in the end, yet the surprise is in the discovery of where stuff came from. The people of the 50s, 60s, & 70s they don’t know how things are going to turn out. So I read about this and that plan for the area and things don’t always provide the results desired, and in some cases, I can’t tell if it has worked out. Also, not surprising to me, there is the messiness of the past, the corruption, sloth, distrust, confusion, and lack of funding that make their appearances.
Anyway, an article I’ve yet to read in its entirety is “Urban Renewal: A Slow, Painful Process: SW Developers Made Mistakes The City Now Hopes to Avoid,” by George Day. Washington Post 6/2/1969 p.C1. In it one little caption “Northwest One includes housing for elderly (rear) and Sursam [sic] Corda Project”. Sursum Corda, wonder how that’s working out?

She’s dead Jim

La Bicicleta muy fea is dead. Killed by a flat tire. All she needs is a new inner tube but I’m not putting one more cent into this bike. It’s now on the list of things to be tossed in the dumpster. The replacement bike is fine, rides better, but lacks the needed back rack. So yesterday I cannibalized parts off the bike and left it unlocked. I doubt anyone will steal it as I’ve left it unlocked before and it never left. The key is the ‘ugly’.

BACA meeting tonight w/ Mayor

MONTHLY MEETING NOTICE
The agenda for the evening will include remarks by:

Honorable Adrian Fenty

Mayor of the District of Columbia

as well as status reports from the following:

Membership Committee

Program Committee

Land Use, Planning and Economic Development Committee

Transportation Committee

Environmental Services Committee

Monday, April 2, 2007
Mount Sinai Baptist Church
3rd and Q Streets, N.W.

Rooms 1 and 2
7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.