Comment 53259

By Michelle Martin (registered) - website | Posted December 17, 2010 at 17:43:04

This is not to accuse people like Graham, Lee or Dave of being those speculators (as they're all fixtures of the street life). But if they're playing a role in a "transformation" of the area, then people are going to refer to them when they question the direction this transformation is going in.

I'm not a business owner, but a home co-owner. However, are we accountable to everyone if we are some of the people fixing up an old house here, simply so we can live in it and take a little honest pride in a decent-looking front yard and porch, and this ends up contributing to a rise in property values (which indeed have risen here)? We have no intention of selling the property-- we'll likely stay here until we die or are wheeled out into a long-term care facility.

We've replaced leaky roof, upgraded the wiring and the plumbing, cleaned up the yard, stripped and re-finished the oak front door and had the leaded glass repaired. Others have done the same, simply because they want to raise their families or retire here, and it is affordable because, frankly, a lot of the properties need work. Were we supposed to live in the house as it was? Or not move here and fix up a place, but rather head out to a brand new subdivision on the out, outskirts? Would you say that because we are fixing the roof over our heads we could be accused of driving up rents and driving out lower- income folks?

Comment edited by Michelle Martin on 2010-12-17 16:47:17

“Conviction without experience makes for harshness. ” Flannery O'Connor

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