Saving South Dallas
Robert Wilonsky has an interesting cover piece in the Dallas Observer this week about an effort to save South Dallas and particularly a bad stretch of residential property known as the Frazier neighborhood.
Wilonsky knows South Dallas well has written about it perceptively and regularly discloses that his dad owns a beleaguered auto parts store there. I'm sure Wilonsky regularly checks with his Pops for new tales of South Dallas woe.
His story focuses on some well-meaning folks who have a grand vision for infusing money and growth into a section of Dallas that city leaders are constantly accused of ignoring. But there's just one problem about South Dallas that nobody wants to address. And in a way, you can read it in the opening lines of the article in which Wilonsky introduces us to a mother, who has a felony record, doesn't have a job because of it, and complains about her living conditions in a $475 a month apartment complex owned by a out-of-state landlord. "This city really sucks," she says. "I feel like the city has abandoned us."
No, the city has abandoned you. Decent people have abandoned you. Nobody wants to live next door to you because you absolutely do not give a fuck about where you live. You want someone else to save the neighborhood in which live. And it's evident this woman isn't about to lift a finger to improve her surroundings. Could she be bothered to pick up the empty crack baggies and 40 oz. bottles in the front yard where her kids play?
I drive through South Dallas nearly every weekend, exploring neglected neighborhoods as a sort of urban adventure. What I find are tracts of land brimming with old growth trees, beautiful houses and wide boulevards. I see what it could be. But I also see rows of boarded up houses, burned houses, crack whores, and rent houses where people evidently have no incentive to maintain their residences. I'd say one out of ten houses in the worst parts of South Dallas are maintained --- homes that are no doubt owned by the residents. Sadly, the worst parts of South Dallas are where some of the oldest, grandest and character-filled houses are located. Wendelkin Street, which had the misfortune of becoming an island in 1970 when two major highways were built flanking it with high rise overpasses, has a marvel of architecture including Prairie two stories houses, Tudor homes and turn of the century bungalows with wrap around porches that can be had for a song. All Wendelkin street needs is for somebody to care --- somebody buy that brick two-story Tudor in the middle of the block, rip the boards off the windows, refinish the hardwood floors, paint the trim, plant some grass and make it a home again. There has to be one house like that on the block or they'll all eventually burn.
And what's most frustrating about South Dallas is owning a house there is easy. Many of them --- decent ones --- can be obtained for $35,000 or less. A lot less. The average person whose credit isn't shot to hell could have a $200 monthly mortgage payment --- less than most people down there pay a month for rent. And when people own homes, they start caring about where they live.
I ought to know. I've owned two neglected homes in marginal neighborhoods. After I fixed up my house, other people decided to do the same. Now my house has doubled in value and my neighborhood goes from marginal to desirable. The city didn't do a damn thing to make that happen except raise my property taxes after I made my street look better.
Unless someone can infuse South Dallas with a lot of people who give a damn about painting their homes, mowing the grass, fixing broken windows and calling the cops when crimes happens, you can spend all the money you want there and it will still suck. Nobody wants to say that, but I see that every weekend when I drive through South Dallas and see a house that would be great if somebody cared enough to restore it. Instead what I is a lot of "I can't, I can't, I can't, somebody help me" on the faces of people who live there.
Here's how it can turn around for the average South Dallas resident. Start by saving up $1,000 for a down payment on a beat-up house. Pool your resources with your family --- it may take awhile --- but you can do it. Get a government assistance loan, buy a hammer, learn how to use it and then watch your property values rise as ever other Johnny come lately discovers how great South Dallas really is.
Otherwise, decent people will cut a wide berth away from South Dallas. And it will continue to suck and be full of put upon residents.
And we'll still be talking about how South Dallas will never change for the ensuing decades.
Wilonsky knows South Dallas well has written about it perceptively and regularly discloses that his dad owns a beleaguered auto parts store there. I'm sure Wilonsky regularly checks with his Pops for new tales of South Dallas woe.
His story focuses on some well-meaning folks who have a grand vision for infusing money and growth into a section of Dallas that city leaders are constantly accused of ignoring. But there's just one problem about South Dallas that nobody wants to address. And in a way, you can read it in the opening lines of the article in which Wilonsky introduces us to a mother, who has a felony record, doesn't have a job because of it, and complains about her living conditions in a $475 a month apartment complex owned by a out-of-state landlord. "This city really sucks," she says. "I feel like the city has abandoned us."
No, the city has abandoned you. Decent people have abandoned you. Nobody wants to live next door to you because you absolutely do not give a fuck about where you live. You want someone else to save the neighborhood in which live. And it's evident this woman isn't about to lift a finger to improve her surroundings. Could she be bothered to pick up the empty crack baggies and 40 oz. bottles in the front yard where her kids play?
I drive through South Dallas nearly every weekend, exploring neglected neighborhoods as a sort of urban adventure. What I find are tracts of land brimming with old growth trees, beautiful houses and wide boulevards. I see what it could be. But I also see rows of boarded up houses, burned houses, crack whores, and rent houses where people evidently have no incentive to maintain their residences. I'd say one out of ten houses in the worst parts of South Dallas are maintained --- homes that are no doubt owned by the residents. Sadly, the worst parts of South Dallas are where some of the oldest, grandest and character-filled houses are located. Wendelkin Street, which had the misfortune of becoming an island in 1970 when two major highways were built flanking it with high rise overpasses, has a marvel of architecture including Prairie two stories houses, Tudor homes and turn of the century bungalows with wrap around porches that can be had for a song. All Wendelkin street needs is for somebody to care --- somebody buy that brick two-story Tudor in the middle of the block, rip the boards off the windows, refinish the hardwood floors, paint the trim, plant some grass and make it a home again. There has to be one house like that on the block or they'll all eventually burn.
And what's most frustrating about South Dallas is owning a house there is easy. Many of them --- decent ones --- can be obtained for $35,000 or less. A lot less. The average person whose credit isn't shot to hell could have a $200 monthly mortgage payment --- less than most people down there pay a month for rent. And when people own homes, they start caring about where they live.
I ought to know. I've owned two neglected homes in marginal neighborhoods. After I fixed up my house, other people decided to do the same. Now my house has doubled in value and my neighborhood goes from marginal to desirable. The city didn't do a damn thing to make that happen except raise my property taxes after I made my street look better.
Unless someone can infuse South Dallas with a lot of people who give a damn about painting their homes, mowing the grass, fixing broken windows and calling the cops when crimes happens, you can spend all the money you want there and it will still suck. Nobody wants to say that, but I see that every weekend when I drive through South Dallas and see a house that would be great if somebody cared enough to restore it. Instead what I is a lot of "I can't, I can't, I can't, somebody help me" on the faces of people who live there.
Here's how it can turn around for the average South Dallas resident. Start by saving up $1,000 for a down payment on a beat-up house. Pool your resources with your family --- it may take awhile --- but you can do it. Get a government assistance loan, buy a hammer, learn how to use it and then watch your property values rise as ever other Johnny come lately discovers how great South Dallas really is.
Otherwise, decent people will cut a wide berth away from South Dallas. And it will continue to suck and be full of put upon residents.
And we'll still be talking about how South Dallas will never change for the ensuing decades.
posted by john clarke at 7:51 PM
1 Comments:
Wow! I couldnt agree with you more!
I am what many major cities are recuiting. I'm gay. We are the ones that will dare to move into neighborhoods in decay and rehab and flip it out of extinction. We have done this in Lakewood, Gaston, Lower Greenville, Oaklawn, and we are just now moving into the Bishop Arts District. I currently live in Lakewood (renting) but me and my partner just looked at a home at 3633 Wendelkin and are certain that we want to purchase it. We will make an offer tomorrow. It is a two-story prairie house that we will rehab back into its full glory. We are certain that we can spark interest in the neighborhood south of the Forest Theatre and surrounded by 1-45 and 175. It just takes one person to get in there and show they not only care but think enough of the old character of these historic homes to be somewhat be disadvantaged for a while.
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