Gentrification Erases A Neighborhood

Webster's Dictionary defines gentrification as thus: "The process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents."

Gentrification is not a new phenomenon but it has erupted all over America in recent years as the children of the affluent who once fled the inner cities for the suburbs, now desire to return. They want to live close to their jobs. They want to experience fine cuisine and enjoy the urban nightlife and they are willing to pay for the privilege. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones who have to pay.

Since this is just a blog entry and not a book, I won't even attempt to tell you how displacement has ripped the meat and bones from communities of color all across America. In fact, I'm not going to do much talking at all. I'm going to take you for a walk through historially African-American, South Berkeley, California, the borough which borders Oakland.

When I first walked through South Berkeley in 1996 on my way to a black book store,, it was a thriving, middle-class community. As the tech industry exploded in the San Francisco Bay Area driving rents and housing prices through the roof, South Berkeley's complexion changed seemingly overnight. At the break of dawn, huge behemoths on wheels zoom the new residents away to the headquarters of Facebook, Yahoo, Google and other tech giants in Silicon Valley. Few of those young millionaries boarding buses to Silicon Valley look like South Berkeley's long time residents. You see, the tech industry's employment force is only 2% black.

I'm a preacher not a sociologist but I do have 20/20 vision and after the middle-class has vanished the class gap is evident. Left to fend for themselves are the very poor and the very affluent. Welcome to the last days of South Berkeley. I predict that within two years, the last 10% of the blacks will be down to 3% and the neighborhood will have another name. Most of what I have to say from here on in will be in pictures taken earlier this week within a three block radius. Look closely.

This political lay on the sidewalk across from the Ashby BART station.

This South Berkeley store sells black hair care products. The strange thing is that though it caters to a black clientele and thrives on black dollars, it is not black owned and to my knowledge does not have any black employees. The owner is making a killing.

The corner store is the legal drug spot. They sell high octane liquor, lottery tickets, rolling papers and cigarettes and they open just after dawn. The owners of this place wouldn't touch the stuff they sell to the urban poor on a bet. Black people spend thousands each month here but never cash a paycheck from here. Why not? Because they don't hire African-Americans.

If you can't afford a pint. They'll sell you a swallow. The aim of the game is take every cent in your pocket. Again, the people selling you this stuff NEVER touch it themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if they wore surgical gloves while putting it on the shelves.

These people are legal extortionists who target and prey on the poorest of the poor. How do they get away with those straight gangster interest rates? Have you ever seen one of these places in the suburbs?

I can't say for sure but I'm betting that this was once a black owned business. I say "once" because its closed down now. It'll probably be a cappocino spot next week.

Great food. Clean. Neat. 70-90% black clientele. Number of black owners? 0

Sweet Adeline's Bake Shop. Thriving business. Awesome goodies. No black owners and no black employees.

This paper is posted in the window of Alice's Relaxing Bath. No further comments needed.

#gentrification #SouthBerkeley #displacement #urbanministry