Plotting on Brewerytown; Part II

speaking of whimsical musings.

Owner(s)
ALSTON ALSON

Total Delinquent Taxes
$10,979.62

Total Years Delinquent
4

Mailing Address
02836 W GIRARD AVE
PHILADELPHIA PA 19130-1215

Owner(s)
ALSTON ALSON

Total Delinquent Taxes
$1,778.67

Total Years Delinquent
1

Mailing Address
ALSTON ALSON
2836 W GIRARD AVE

PHILADELPHIA PA 19130-1215

Address: 2825 W GIRARD AVE Unit Number: Zip Code: 19130-1214
Owner Information
Owner(s): ALSTON AL
BRT Account Number: 292026700
Mailing Address: ALSTON AL
2827 W GIRARD AVE
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19130-1214

Total Delinquent Taxes $5,236.84

i dont care how you slice the bread. al alston is a developer that does not pay his taxes. i am assuming that al will be getting some mail soon from city hall.

if you dig deeper you will find that al's name is associated with many mortgages from past sales and investments. how do you all figure that he made the cultural center.

it really surprises me that folks will stand up for the right of people to talk about throwing anthrax on neighborhood kids , by saying that the statements were taken out of context. in what context would that be okay? what if someone were talking about your kids like that? as poor people, we're the ones being criminalized and talked about in these vicious ways - don't we have a right to know? what the hell is reverse discrimination? you're telling me tht designers, lawyers and engineers are now being discriminated against by neighborhood folks? because we can't afford to live in our neighborhoods anymore, is that why? have you looked at the other articles on this blog? i think there just might, perhaps, be some evidence here that there is a nationwide trend that is happening in cities that are in competition for attracting certain kinds of residents. of course this isn't about individuals, but that is clearly stated in the newsletter!! so for everone taking this so personally - look at the issue, the individual comments are just symptoms of a state of mind that sees our communities as a new frontier ripe for colonization.
that doesn't mean that just because you move in there, you are a bad person. it means there is a larger strategy going on that is working to push the poor out of the city centers - now that we're obsolete. how the fuck do you think that makes us feel?

if anything it is suggesting that those quoteed are going to throw anthrax. WTF are you talking about. persoanlly i think that you are all nuts and i hav no idea how these kind of agressive attitudes flourish. maybe in online communities, you brought this to the streets you would be bound to get your ass kicked or shunned. its easy to sit back on your computer and brainstorm the end of the world. this whole thing reads like a starnge sci fi novel.

just to nip this in the bud, there's a wealth of information right in front of you, if you care to look. many sections of this very blog (trends, neoliberalism, what's happening elsewhere) provide ample evidence of the situation of cities in the global economy - competing to be sites of capital investment, and what that means for poor, working, and middle class people. i would suggest if you don't have direct experience of these things then you check out the resources and information that are gathered here, many of them from mainstream media sources as well as community organizations.

This a really interesting conversation--I'm glad I came across this blog!

When I first started reading Whispers of Fear, Hate & the Planned Takeover of North Philly," I recognized the conversations being quoted, because they're really similar to ones that happen about where I live in South Philly. And I was interested in the analysis. But I also felt like, "hey--I'm (relatively) new to my neighborhood, and I've got more money than a lot of people who've lived here for a long time, and I'm benefitting from a lot of the changes that are happening. I'm a good person, but this is making me feel like people think I'm doing something bad, just by living somewhere that I can afford to live." But when I looked at the newsletter more carefully, I saw that the author is very explicit about not condemning newcomers: "we note that this article describes the effort to displace the long-time residents of North Philly through the words of the very newcomers perpetrating this offense. Unfortunately, our investigation of their subterfuge could not determine how representative of all newcomers their hostility is. We choose to leave the gauge of how widespread these ideas are to larger publications, with greater research capacities. We do caution long-time residents, however, not to assume that all of their new neighbors harbor the kind of ignorance, fear and hatred we describe below. As many of these quotations inadvertently demonstrate, North Philadelphians are generous, trusting and peace-loving. Our innate fairness and decency should prevent us from judging all newcomers to be the kind of individuals that these quotes lay bare. We must continue to treat every newcomer with respect."

This newsletter isn't attacking people like us, local. I'm not conspiring, and you're not conspiring, and I don't think the newsletter is saying we are. But there IS something going on that is hurting people who've lived in these neighborhoods for a long time. Families are being forced out of their communities by rising rents and property taxes. I see flyers all over my neighborhood saying "sell your house! cash! sell your house!"--these are companies that are trying to take advantage of our neighbors' hard times by buying their houses for way less than they're worth, so that the companies can turn around and rent or sell it to people like you and me. Check out this article on Yahoo News, called "Rich New Yorkers apt to stay, poorer to move" at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070912/us_nm/newyorkcity_economy_dc.

So what do we do? I've been trying to figure that out, and it sounds like you have been too. I wish I had the answer! Here's what I'm thinking right now: There are divisive forces out there; something is pitting us against our neighbors, making people like us talk about throwing anthrax on kids--what is going on that even one of us can think something like that is alright to say, no matter how off the cuff?!? And people like us--people who aren't creating this division but also aren't being as hurt as people who are uprooted from their homes--do choose sides, whether consciously or not. So what we need to decide is, where are our real interests? Are they with our neighbors? Or are they with whatever is dividing us into groups that don't trust each other and make measly profits off each others' misfortunes (because I don't know about you, but the big profits aren't coming to me!)? I want to understand where this division is coming from. And that's why, even though I occasionally felt indicted by something in this newsletter, I am grateful for the analysis and info. Because I feel like reading it was a step toward understanding what is going on. And I think we need to understand that before we will know how to have truly clean and safe communities.

something does need to happen about people being displaced. i dont think that race has anything to do with it. diversity in both race and economics is a good idea. it seems that al gets upset at the devilopers for not giving subsidies to him and his organization. he goes to talk with them and he goes to zoning hearings. if he does not get his subsidies he opposes the development, that is extortion. it seems that he is hitting a hard wall. he then begins to attack people for buying houses like they should be shameful? in a way it is understandable but unless something is done in city hall it will be a bigger problem. clark thinks that the only way that NP will be developed is by razing everything and having big developers come in. big developers coming in is a good thing. but if people are being forced out that needs to be addressed. if there was a cap for certain people i think that this would not be an issue. or maybe a tax system that works. i dont like that al needs to go after the bystanders. we ALL want a better way of life. you have to admit that al is abit nutty. al himslef ownes many properties and is playing the real estate game. i have to question his intentions.

talk about displacement:

This unfortunate incident reinforces my decision to take my family and move from fairmount, I too wanted my children to grow up in a socially diverse community, but not at any cost. When I have neighbors murdered, raped assaulted , mugged, and the endless property crimes, not to mention inferior educational opportunties, and lack of recreational facilities, I know my children are better off in the burbs, and it is quite possible to raise socially aware and tolerant kids otside the city, after all parents must protect their children

raider.adam: Then have the fake ipod explode with anthrax instead. That’ll really teach them.

fishtowner:This man is a client at the salon I work at. He was hit by a crowbar. There were 3 guys. One hit him and knocked his teeth out. Another grabbed his wallet, and another grabbed his Ipod. So there you have it. Be careful.

http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/showthread.php?t=10581

It may be that all cities require people to dream, but in Philadelphia imagining a new city is the singular act of citizenship. We're all of us ever-wondering what might be. We dream so intensely because we see the glowing possibility. It's just right there. The potential is marvelous, the possible only limited by our own imagination.

I live in Btown. I am a "new neighbor" and I never felt such humiliation and fear as that inspired by AA's recent pamphlet. Right now, every time I go outside I worry that my neighbors have read your pamphlet and will feel the hate and anger towards me that your pamphlet suggests they should. I don't know if your (AA) intension was to raise the fears that white people have, but it did, at least for me.

According to the logic espoused by AA, all white people moving into neighborhoods which are not a majority white are part of "gentrification", gentrification is bad, therefore these white people are bad. If I am wrong, AL, please let me know exactly who are the "good" white neighbors and why...do you have such a vision in your head and if so, does anyone fit it?

You know, this is no different then the horrible racism that existed as blacks moved into white neighborhoods in the 50s and 60s (and still exists). If we took AA's rhetoric and reverse black and white, it would clearly be seen as racist. But, it is very dangerous because he suggests NOT ONLY that the white people in the neighborhood are bad because they are white, BUT ALSO that they are dangerous and leading a "take over". I would suggest it is borderline "hate crime" material, and anyone who disagrees should seriously re-evaluate how they view the Jenna 6 incidents. I just pray that there are no racially motivated attacks in this neighborhood fueled by this hate mail, otherwise AA might face a serious lawsuit.

Finally, I can assure you that anyone who hates black people or anyone who is rich is NOT going to move into this part of town. Whites or Blacks or other Races who move into this neighborhood must either be 1) poor and/or 2) tolerant or accepting diversity in terms of race. Anyone with money and sanity would choose a place that offers a higher quality of life in terms of environment, physical safety, and amenities. Anyone who hates racial diversity and is sane will stay in racially exclusive neighborhoods (this would be AA category). I am sorry that I represent an end to your racially exclusive neighborhood...and I am sorry that you make it such an uncomfortable place for white people and you carry on the racial legacies of US history...I just hope that there are more people in this neighborhood who disagree with you then there are those who agree with you.
...which seems to be the case.

yabasta, you are just as ignorant as al. this person expressed fear and you are approving it. al cant change the problems of displacement through the proper network so he has the right to TERRORIZE people through his race-letters? al is sick and so are you. i have been to al's meeting and i think that it is sick that he repeatedly comments on his neighbors across the street at brewerytown square as hateful and ugly people. he has no personal relation with them. that is ignorance my friend. fuck him and fuck you for spreading hate! al is a thug.

al does not live here this is not his neighborhood. he does business here. he makes money off of the same residents that he is supposedly defends. not only that he does not have the dignity to pay the taxes that support the neighborhood on the properties that he owns here. we dont need people like this in our neighborhood. we have some of the worst schools in philly and he is apart of that problem. you are going to give a blind eye to that!?

fact that people cant afford housing here is total bullshit. if you want a house here you can buy one in any price bracket. you and your cronies are twisting truths just as al redirected the comments on PB to hype up his agenda. you know what, we are not going anywhere. and there are more and more people moving into the neighborhood. its not a takeover it is a issue of affordability. i have to tell ya that the residents of this neighborhood including myself agree some of the best people in the city. loving accepting and giving, that is also why people decide to move here. like people attract like people and people like you and al will become extinct. love and acceptance will over rule hate and racist. you probably dont even live here. i love it when people think they know the best interest of others.

oh and by the way, what is the 'proper network' you refer to above? are you part of that proper network? please, show us the proper way to change the problems of displacement. I'm very curious to hear your insights on this matter.

oh yea and another thing, the multi-million dollar publicity campaign launched by linebarger to collect back taxes that a lot of poor people have not paid, well geez i feel like instead of printing up hundreds of thousands of large color postcards and paying a photographer to go around and photograph people's houses (a friend of mine actually saw her house in this notice), that money could have been used to pay those taxes. i guess it's an upside down world everywhere we look.

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." - Martin Luther King Jr.

i whole heartedly agree with the ideas and spirt of the Rev. dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In fact, before the end of his life he took the bold and very unpopular step of advocating for a massive movement to end poverty led by the poor. he was attacked and reviled for making this switch from civil rights, to economic human rights. i take his words seriously and believe that we all should. it is so timely of you to bring this up as we're on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the poor people's march. thank you.

oops, i meant to say, I AM a homeowner, and I do pay taxes.

I am not ignorant. I am not racist and I am not trying to make people feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods.

It's really hallarious how every horrible thing in this world is Al Alston's fault... bad schools, racial tensions in your neighborhood, citywide violence. what? I hope that when you chill out you will be able to see that there are lots of people fighting what you may understand as 'progress' in this city (and other cities.

Here are a couple of other resources that I think people should take a look at.

http://www.wiretapmag.org/race/43167/

http://www.wiretapmag.org/race/43269/

"I would like to start by saying that I am an African American Man. I moved to Brewerytown (North Philly) from Mt Airy because of Westrum in 2006 and I have since Gentrified a building right across from Al' make shift business (btw i don’t know what your business does, please enlighten me). Unlike AL, I came in and saw an opportunity and a chance to make things better so I put my money where my mouth was. I moved from a "gated condo" to a row house in North Philly (Sorry Brewerytown) and I love it. I say hello to my Neighbors, I clean the front of my house I shop at the store in the N'hood, etc

Like someone else said before, Westrum's Development is the best thing that has happened to Brewerytown in Years. Finally the imaginary line from the Art Museum is getting blurrier. (If only you took the 48 or 7 bus, you will see how vivid the line is. To Center city: No non-AA before Girard, From Center City: No non-AA after Girard).

Like every business person should know, if you have no guts, there is no glory. I challenge AL to do something more positive than spread hate around. Open a business; give free classes to teach new skills. Do something positive rather than spread fear.

You keep claiming that people in the N'hood are not being hired, could it be because they don't have skills in the building trade? Ask Bill Reddish an AA contractor who gave him the contract to rebuild fill in houses in the N'hood. Unlike other that want only the menial labor jobs at the sites, Bill and his company has the required skills so they got the job. Mr. Alston – Organize a way to train people from the N'hood. It will take 5 more years to finish the work at Westrum' development it takes about a year to train a trades person in construction. Not to mention that Westrum has another development in east falls that may run longer. If you train the people from the N'hood, they will have a job for the next 5 years at least... so think about that as a way to pay Westrum back for destroying the N'hood. If you can’t beat them (stop them) Join them (help the N'hood rebuild and create Jobs)

As to the point of kicking out the inhabitants of Brewerytown, without Westrum, Old ladies will not be able to sell their homes and have a better life now - Cash for food, medicine, and healthcare Or leave something valuable for their kids when they pass on that is if they choose not to sell. (Someone sold all your houses to you right- when it was dirt cheap if I might add). I bought my property from someone who paid half of my cost for it just 5 years before. The long time residents just got a value jump of at least 200% assuming they owned it longer than the person who sold it to me. How can that be bad for the N'hood? We in the real world call that value appreciation. As to the issue of raised taxes, Mr. Darryl Clarke promised that long time residents will be protected. If on nothing else, I believe him on that promise.

Gentrification or revitalization is good for Philadelphia. No one is forcing anyone out. Al should look at this as a way to pump new life into the community. This should not be misconstrued to mean that the old residents are not worthy. People who truly love the neighborhood take care of it. (My next door is a good example. The day I say him pick up all the trash from the front of both our houses on his way into his house, was the day I realized I had made the right decision to invest in Brewerytown). And the truth is with new residents, come new opportunity to grow the community, new money, new businesses, new ideas, and new learnings. And we all need that. An example is Brewtown. (BTW - If I were the one opening the shop, I doubt AABRA would oppose it as much)

So AL stop being as racist as you claim others are. Be a positive Impact not the reason for a negative outlook.

Please feel free to label me a sell out. But I have seen the good life in Mt Airy and B’Town could be the next great N’hood."