Where do we go? The Gentrifaction night mare

I remember living in Hawkins Village, one of Allegheny County's housing projects, I noticed several people who were not from the Braddock area. Most of them came from the Hill District. These folks were angry that BLACK people forced them from their homes. They were outraged because most of these people were young and grew up in the Burb.  The Rents went up and the Property Levels went up and they were priced out of their life long homes. They were asked why they lived in Hawkins Village?
"Because its Gentrification Proof." They said "We can't live like that again."
"Braddock is Gentrification proof and has been for years. We made sure of that." I said.


Years earlier several people were trying to buy homes cheap so they can sell them to middle class people and force us out. They wanted to develop the area.  We allowed the crime rate get bad and yes we frightened the Middle Class people so that they would leave and never come back. We successfully lowered the Property rates so that if the prices tripled we would still be able to own a home.  The same was done to North Braddock as well.

                                      Hawkins Village where I lived from 2000 until 2005








Middle class people you moving in is NOT necessary a good thing and as long as you move in and remember where you are moving too that is fine but remember YOU can live anywhere you want and we can not. I don't know who told you that Gentrification is good for us but its NOT.


You moving here doesn't have to be a bad thing. We welcome anyone no matter what race or income level but you have to remember that we will not allow you to take over. We don't put any numbers on how many can live here as long as you remember this we will NOT be pushed out.


East Liberty was another neighborhood in Pittsburgh that underwent Gentrification this time by White People. The people displaced from that neighborhood were no more angrier or sad then those displaced from Homewood (Again from black middle class). They had to go.


So where are we supposed to go Middle class people? You can live practically any where you like? Why must you push us out. Now we are overcrowded.


My friend Carol shared this link with me about my City, Pittsburgh PA. This will tell you about how the City of Pittsburgh kicked out the poor.

To The People who left both black and white from the ones left behind

I was reading my time line in a group I belong to about my community.

One of the people posted about how she loved North Braddock but she was glad she didn't live here. 

Another commenter said She wouldn't drive through Braddock during the day.

A third referred to the the thugs who live in North Braddock now.

None of these women could understand was they were offending people simply for not being able or not wanting to leave our neighbors.

I get tired of hearing how perfect the community was in the past before the community died.

Back in the day US Steel required it's employees to live in 15104. The black folks had to stay because of segregation. 15104 always had poor people but also had middle class and wealthy people.

In the 70s things changed the mill workers no longer had to live here and black folks didn't have to live here.  They moved out in droves then wonder what happened to their old town.  Somehow it must be our fault despite the fact that the town no longer had their tax dollars.

We survived without you and now we don't want you back.  We remember you were racist and classist.

Then a black middle class woman talking about whites who were gentrifying East Liberty but she ignored the fact that it was middle class black people who were gentrifying poor black people from the Hill and Homewood. 

Guess what black middle class do you really think the black people YOU forced out of their homes and whose lives you ruined.  How very privileged of you to assume because you are black that they love you moving into our neighborhoods.  We do not.  You are no different than the whites who did it.

To the middle class people who left the ghettos and to the ones who are moving in.

We don't want you here.  You don't belong here.  You want to move here fine but be respectful.