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

Sun May 11 19:54:36 PDT 2014

On Sun, May 11, 2014 at 3:39 PM, Ryan Bethencourt <
ryan.bethencourt at gmail.com> wrote:

> Good points Sam and I agree that any improvements in neighborhoods should
> be inclusive to ensure that a broad range of residents (not just middle to
> high income) can continue to be part of the community, it's after all the
> diversity that enriches our community both racially, artistically and
> creatively. A big part of that is ensuring that a broad range of housing is
> available for all budgets (which cities like SF have failed to deliver on,
> which appears to be due to strong anti-growth mentalities which prices
> those who can least afford it out).
>
> Saying that, I'm just not a fan of how the term gentrification is being
> used, it seems divisive to me, them and us, if we're a community space,
> surely we should embrace all of those who wish to add to the community and
> share their skill sets (regardless of race, income, creed or gender
> preferences and hold to non-discrimination).
>

Yes, but not regardless of values. As a community we start with a set of
shared values and build trust and collaboration on top of these values.
Some people say that they share our values but then spend most of their
time and money in ways that work against what we are trying to accomplish,
e.g. by supporting businesses that appeal to or are mostly only affordable
by the upper middle class, and with little regard to the ethics and
business practices of these companies. Still, we have never to my knowledge
excluded anyone from our communities for these reasons, but we have been
and should remain highly critical of issues we see as working against our
values.

> Google engineers are being vilified and yet I think it's a failure of
> governmental institutions to develop adequate policies to ensure a full
> range of housing and services are available for those who need it most and
> not engineers who are just looking for a decent place to live at a
> reasonable price.
>

Google engineers are responsible for their own actions and allegiances,
regardless of failures of governmental institutions. It matters how you
spend your time in this world and which organizations and projects you
spend your time supporting, and if you spend your time supporting huge
top-down for-profit corporations with questionable ethics while receiving
major personal benefits, then I'm going to assume that you've prioritized
personal gain over collaboration for the benefit of the local and global
community, and I'm going to judge you for that. If you then contribute to
actions that push out the less fortunate from their homes, well then fuck
you. Google engineers can read the news just like everybody else and know
what their selfish choice to live in SF is doing to others. Yes its true
that the government should not be allowing this to happen, but that does
not free anyone from their personal responsibility to be excellent to
others. Just because something is legal does not mean it is right and the
more power a person has, the more responsibility they should display in how
they wield that power.

> I'd definitely embrace a balanced dialog and on the pros and cons and how
> we can insure a more inclusive Oakland for everyone :)
>

We are not trying to be inclusive of everyone. We are trying very
deliberately to exclude profiteering assholes who put their own personal
benefit first.

> All the best,
> Ryan
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, May 11, 2014 at 3:16 PM, Sam Tepper <sam.tepper at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>  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 <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> wrote:
>>  _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>    Autonomous <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.
>>
>> [image: Inline image 2]
>>
>>
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>    Patrik D'haeseleer <patrikd at gmail.com>
>>  May 10, 2014 at 7:33 PM
>>    On Sat, May 10, 2014 at 7:29 PM, <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>
>>> 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
>>>
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing listsudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.orghttps://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>
>>    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> <romy at snowyla.com>
>> To: "Sudo Room Discussion List" <sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org><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
>>  @ryanbethencourt
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing listsudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.orghttps://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Ryan Bethencourt
>
> Tel: (415) 825 2705
> Conf Call: (650) 741 5013
> ryan.bethencourt at gmail.com
>
> http://www.litmususa.com/
> http://berkeleybiolabs.com/
>
> www.bamh1.com
> www.linkedin.com/in/bethencourt
> www.logos-press.com/books/biotechnology_business_development.php
>
> _______________________________________________
> sudo-discuss mailing list
> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
> https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20140511/c6782b66/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: postbox-contact.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1212 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20140511/c6782b66/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: compose-unknown-contact.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 770 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20140511/c6782b66/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: postbox-contact.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1374 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20140511/c6782b66/attachment-0002.jpg>