[sudo-discuss] Oakland gentrification is very well planned & executed

Sam Tepper sam.tepper at gmail.com
Sun May 11 15:16:16 PDT 2014 

Thanks for the link, Ryan.  I don't think people doubt that
gentrification has its upsides - that's why it's so sought after for so
many people - but there are two main downsides, I'd say, that are
against the values we generally try to hold at Sudo Room.

1.  Gentrification and its benefits target white middle-class families. 
Even if many or most original residents who stay are financially better
off, those who are left are far less diverse, and racism plays a
fundamental role in the gentrification process.

2.  Gentrified neighborhoods are generally home to fewer artists,
immigrants, and even aspiring hackers because these people can
frequently be poor to the point of destitution, even when their skill
level is high.

We do need to address the positives in order to have a dialog, to
educate and address the problems behind most gentrification efforts, and
try to increase financial health and stability in more positive,
socially responsible ways.

-Sam

On 05/11/2014 02:38 PM, Ryan Bethencourt wrote:
> I'm intrigued by this discussion, what's seemed odd to me for a while
> is that the conversation seems to be very one sided, i.e. all
> gentrification is bad, yet what about if it isn't? What if a rising
> tide lifts all boats?
>
> I came across an article a while back that was published on NPR (not
> known for being biased one way or the other) which discussed the data
> which actually tended to support the positive aspects of
> gentrification for residents of poorer neighborhoods. It's worth a read:
>
> "We're finding that the financial health of original residents in
> gentrifying neighborhoods seems to be increasing, as compared to
> original residents in nongentrifying, low-priced neighborhoods," says
> Daniel Hartley, a research economist with the bank."
> http://www.npr.org/2014/01/22/264528139/long-a-dirty-word-gentrification-may-be-losing-its-stigma
>
> I would also make the argument that spaces like Sudo Room, Public
> Schools, LOL space, Counter Culture labs and etc actually make a net
> positive impact for the entire community and yet do have a gentrifying
> effect. We have much work yet to do but communal spaces, open
> education and the maker movement have the potential to empower many
> communities and I say that as someone that hopes to do more to help
> lift others up, I think most of us are of the same mindset?
>
> Upwards and Onwards!
> Ryan
>
>> Sonja Trauss <mailto:sonja.trauss at gmail.com>
>> May 11, 2014 at 10:43 AM
>> Quick point - you guys know that it was the housing market crash
>> (sudden DECREASE in home values) that set off waves of foreclosures,
>> right?
>>
>> In other words, suppose you're in one of these loans. You realized
>> what is about to happen to you ("FUCK! I can't afford the mortgage
>> after reset!) let's look at two scenereos: 
>>
>> Scenereo one: the value of your house has increased since you
>> purchased it two years ago. The house is worth more than you owe on
>> it, and there are many buyers interested in buying homes like yours
>> in your area. 
>>
>> Scenereo two: the value of your home has decreased since you
>> purchased it two years ago. The house is worth less than you owe on
>> it, and there are very few people interested in buying homes like
>> yours in your area. 
>>
>> Which scenero is better for you? What do you do in each scenereo? 
>>
>>
>> On Sunday, May 11, 2014, Autonomous <autonomous666 at gmail.com
>> <mailto:autonomous666 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>> _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>> Autonomous <mailto:autonomous666 at gmail.com>
>> May 11, 2014 at 9:56 AM
>> >Oakland gentrification is very well planned & executed
>>
>> Indeed. It is particularly reprehensible that specific neighborhoods
>> in Oakland were targeted for predatory loans and fraudulent
>> foreclosures. The attached image shows foreclosures in Oakland
>> represented by small dots which is overlaid onto demographic data
>> showing non-white neighborhoods in red and white neighborhoods in
>> blue. See a pattern here? This is a form of economic warfare targeted
>> against people of color who have lost a massive amount of wealth
>> while investors have moved in to profit from the resulting increase
>> in real estate values.
>>
>> The scam involves a loan with very low interest for a period of two
>> years followed by a dramatic increase in interest. When people ask
>> for a loan modification, they are told they need to miss a payment in
>> order to qualify - it's in the servicing contract. Then, upon missing
>> one payment, the bank refuses to accept any more payments by giving
>> the run-around and the home is subsequently foreclosed upon. If that
>> wasn't enough, people are forcibly removed from their homes by
>> illegal eviction proceedings. Typically the unfortunate former
>> homeowner only learns about the eviction when the police show up to
>> kick them out on the street along with all their possessions. This is
>> because they aren't served properly and have no idea a court action
>> even existed. This pattern was repeated over and over in Oakland, as
>> you can see in the attached image.
>>
>> Inline image 2
>>
>>
>>
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>> Patrik D'haeseleer <mailto:patrikd at gmail.com>
>> May 10, 2014 at 7:33 PM
>> On Sat, May 10, 2014 at 7:29 PM, <batkid at gmx.com
>> <mailto:batkid at gmx.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Don't worry, Oakland won't become the East Hamptons anytime soon
>>
>>     http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25737160/oakland-man-shot-driving-truck-near-courthouse
>>     http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25732368/jurors-convict-man-murdering-two-west-oakland-neighborhood
>>     http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25731273/oakland-man-dies-from-injuries-from-downtown-fight
>>
>>
>> Oh good - I was getting worried about having too many museum shows
>> and cat video festivals in the neighborhood...
>>
>> Patrik 
>>
>>     -----Original message-----
>>     Sent: Saturday, 10 May 2014 at 21:30:39
>>     From: "Romy Snowyla" <romy at snowyla.com <mailto:romy at snowyla.com>>
>>     To: "Sudo Room Discussion List" <sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>>     <mailto:sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org>>
>>     Subject: [sudo-discuss] Oakland gentrification is very well
>>     planned & executed
>>     The museum shows, the cat festival.. I guess we are all part of
>>     the master plan : P
>>     _______________________________________________
>>     sudo-discuss mailing list
>>     sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>>     <mailto:sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org>
>>     https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>> batkid at gmx.com <mailto:batkid at gmx.com>
>> May 10, 2014 at 7:29 PM
>> Don't worry, Oakland won't become the East Hamptons anytime soon
>>
>> http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25737160/oakland-man-shot-driving-truck-near-courthouse
>> http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25732368/jurors-convict-man-murdering-two-west-oakland-neighborhood
>> http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25731273/oakland-man-dies-from-injuries-from-downtown-fight
>>
>> -----Original message-----
>> Sent: Saturday, 10 May 2014 at 21:30:39
>> From: "Romy Snowyla" <romy at snowyla.com>
>> To: "Sudo Room Discussion List" <sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org>
>> Subject: [sudo-discuss] Oakland gentrification is very well planned &
>> executed
>> The museum shows, the cat festival.. I guess we are all part of the
>> master plan : P
>> _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>
> -- 
> -- 
> Ryan Bethencourt
>
> Tel: (415) 825 2705
> ryan.bethencourt at gmail.com <mailto:ryan.bethencourt at gmail.com>
> @ryanbethencourt
>
>
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