Photo by Maurice Fitzgerald
Belinda Faldelmola of the Department of Housing and Urban Development addresses questions focusing on HUD homes.

Panelists for the three hour long roundtable included Christopher Bogdan, president/CEO of Bogdan Builders, Inc.; Belinda Fadlelmola, operations specialist for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Eric Coulet, committee clerk for Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2); Alexander Padro, advisory neighborhood commissioner of 2C01; and Patricia Grace Smith, associate administrator of Commercial Space Transportation. Although scheduled to attend, Ellen McCarthy, interim director for the Office of Planning, was unable to attend the session.

Commonly associated with a process of city renewal and improvement, gentrification has historically resulted in the displacement of various racial, ethnic, and low income groups under the guise of social and economic improvement and change. Problems caused by the increasingly popular form of urban renewal include a decrease in affordable housing, encroachment of tenant’s rights, as well as a depreciation of established communities.

As a result of the city’s gentrification efforts, long time Washington residents are finding it increasingly hard to maintain their current housing, as well as attain new or additional housing due to price increases. One community member was adamant that more needed to be done to ensure affordable housing for residents who need it most. “We can’t afford to live in the very city where we were born,” the resident explained. The comment spoke to many residents’ concerns regarding the increasing prices for housing in the District.

Goulet, who spoke mostly to the tax and financial issues facing District citizens, urged fellow panelists and those sitting in the audience to strongly consider two very important subjects: protecting current residents and ensuring that future generations would be able to afford the same homes occupied by their elder family members.

Community members were not allowed to simply sit back and point fingers. Instead, on more than one occasion during the session, panelists encouraged community residents to open their eyes to everything that is happening to them and around them. Panelists also encouraged attendees to use their voices to affect change.

Bogden, an independent community developer, specifically issued a warning to residents about the motives of certain incoming community developers saying that “they are only in it to make a profit” and “could care less about the displacing people and or communities.”

Fadlelomola, who acknowledged HUD’s tendency to overlook the needs of the community, stressed concern that District residents weren’t treating the issue of gentrification seriously, saying that the subject of gentrification is a political issue and must be dealt with. She also believes the problem of gentrification has persisted because of a lack of cohesiveness between the city officials, administrators, community developers, and residents. “We have not been linked together because we haven’t had the same focus and the same objective. We must get together,” Fadlelolmola interjected.

The morning session was open to the public and the media, but few were present to take part in the morning discussion. “It is knowledge which is your power,” said Fadlelomola. However, those who were able to attend voiced concerns that undoubtedly speak to issues concerning all incoming, outgoing, and permanently residing citizens.

Undoubtedly, the gentrification of particular Washington communities has raised an assortment of concerns and questions from community members and inspired a level of fear as well. Addressing the panel, a District resident said, “If you keep pushing us out to the edges, where are we supposed to go then?” The comment spoke to gentrification’s tendency to move lower income persons out of the heart of the city and more towards the outskirts.

Few people were bold enough to bring up the issue of race as a related issue to Washington’s current gentrification, but despite efforts to tip toe around the subject, the issue couldn’t be avoided entirely. Smith, meeting moderator, did manage to draw a comparison between the process of gentrification and the illegal practices of gerrymandering that were used historically used to divide communities based on race.

The roundtable ended on the note that in order for District citizens to see desired changes they would have to demand them. “You have to go out and get what you want,” said Padro, adding that historically, anytime there have been changes in neighborhoods and communities, it has been a result of people standing up.