Unexpected guest!

I've said for years that if you live in Old East Dallas, you never know what to expect next! 

Of course, this is not our first encounter with "this element" of the population.  Last Halloween tricker-treaters spotted a group of this sort staring back at all of us from inside the window that lets light into our attic! 

Hey, you just never know!  But, at least everybody's welcome! 

People or places?

Too many officials in troubled cities wrongly imagine that they can lead their city back to its former glories with some massive construction project--a new stadium or light rail system, a convention center, or a housing project.  With very few exceptions, no public policy can stem the tidal forces of urban change.  We mustn't ignore the needs of the poor people who live in the Rust Belt, but public policy should help poor people, not poor places.

Shiny new real estate may dress up a declining city, but it doesnt' solve its underlying problems.  The hallmark of declining cities is that they have too much housing and infrastructure relative to the strength of their economies.  With all that supply of structure and so little demand, it makes no sense to use public money to build more supply.  The folly of building-centric urban renewal reminds us that cities aren't structures; cities are people.

After Hurricane Katrina, the building boosters wanted to spend hundreds of billions rebuilding New Orleans, but if $200 billion has been given to the people who lived there, each of them would have gotten $400,000 to pay for moving or education or better housing somewhere else.  Even before the flood, New Orleans had done a mediocre job caring for its poor.  Did it really make sense to spend billions on the city's infrastructure, when money was so badly needed to help educate the children of New Orleans?  New Orleans' greatness always came from its people, not from its buildings.  Wouldn't it have made more sense to ask how federal spending could have done the most for the lives of Katrina's victims, even if they moved somewhere else? 

Ultimately, the job of urban government isn't to fund buildings or rail lines that can't possibly cover their costs, but to care for the city's citizens.  A mayor who can better educate a city's children so that they can find opportunity on the other side of the globe is succeeding, even if his city is getting smaller.

Edward Glaeser

Triumph of the City, page 9

____________________________________

I'm enjoying the thought of Edward Glaeser. 

At the same time, I'm wondering how his theories may fit in addressing the continuing challenge of bringing renewal, life, health and opportunity to a "geography" like that of the Southern Sector, a huge section of undeveloped and underdeveloped land here in Dallas, Texas?

For starters, this particular area of our city is not monolithic, or homogenious in any respect, save that of its basically depressed eoconomic vitality.  That said, there are regions of the sector that are severely depressed, as compared to others parts of the area that appear to present more hopeful possibilites. 

Glaeser is right about education.  For sure it presents the greatest, seemingly intractable challenge facing the southern part of our urban area.  Until public education in Dallas is "fixed," nothing of much significance will move forward or change in any substantive, positive manner, especially to the south.  The education problem in Dallas strangles progress, paralyzes the economy and dashes whatever hope might remain or be created along the way to "more of the same." 

As public education goes--in reality and in perception--so goes the housing and retail markets along with jobs and eoncomic vitality.  Our city has seen the flight of middle class families of all complexions from the city to the suburbs on the outside in search of better educational options for their children. 

While building programs, rail lines and infrastructure improvements will not answer the call to renovate public education (shoot, no one's thinking of building anything much to the south of Dallas anyway) some combination of vision, investment, community restructuring and focused attention seem in order. 

What if. . .

. . .Dallas developed a program for educaiton reform equivalent to some of the incentivized economic development vehicles that are in place Downtown and around the community (i. e. enterprise zones, TIFs, etc.)?  Why not block out a target area for special consideration with real attention given to managing entire "feeder patterns" where schools historically under-perform?

. . .Dallas overlaid such target areas with existing economic development tools and a real long-term commitment to public investment?

. . .Dallas courted area and national corporations to relocate to the south to build new, positive, planned developed, "company towns" where new, healthy economies could be built alongside renewing schools.  In exchange for tax abatements, companies would agree to train and employ a % of low-income wage workers alongside middle class wage earners. Such special enclaves would be defined by their commitment to great public schools, no exceptions, no excuses.

. . .the City of Dallas petitioned the state for some measure of involvement/control in managing the public schools in these special, target areas?  Many have argued that the DISD is too large.  By peeling off a portion of the responsibility, the city might contribute to the improvement of the entire system.  I know it's a radical idea, but, in my view, we are in need of a complete overhaul.

. . .principals were held accountable like other CEOs in the community on the basis of clear and meaningful metrics around student improvement, performance and university readiness? 

. . .every new "big project," like those Glaeser mentions, was vetted first for its role in improving the quality of life for these new, planned "excellence in education communities"?  Could we actually plan housing development and variety, community spaces, convention centers, and highway/transportation infrastructure around educational attainment goals and current "low-performing" areas?

. . .Sustainability, quality of life, communication, grassroots democracy and public health measures became first rate community priorities? 

Sorry, but I just wonder.

Cities

Echoing antiurbanites throughout the ages, Mahatma Gandhi said that "the true India is to be found not in its few cities, but in its 700,000 villages" and "the growth of the nation depends not on cities, but [on] its villages."  The great man was wrong.  India's growth depends almost entirely on its cities.  There is a near-perfect correlation between urbanization and prosperity across nations.  On average, as the share of a country's population that is urban rises by 10 percent, the country's per capita output increases by 30 percent.  Per capita incomes are allmost four times higher in those countries where a majority of people live in cities than in those countries where a majority of people live in rural areas. 

Edward Glaeser

Triumph of the City:  How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter,

Greener, Healthier and Happier,

page 7

Sad cities

10 Saddest Cities in America


posted by Melissa Breyer Apr 29, 2011 6:01 pm

What makes a city sad? A lack of fluffy frolicking puppies? Burnt-out buildings and vacant lots? Limited access to cupcakes? Measuring which cities in the country are the least content seems an objective pursuit, at best. Yet last month when the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index published their findings about which cities were the happiest, they ended up with the other end of the spectrum as well. The miserable, no-good, down-and-out cities, where, clearly, not a soul can manage a smile. I kid, of course. Undoubtedly there are sad people in the nation’s happiest city (Boulder, Co) as well as happy people in the saddest. But nonetheless, it’s interesting to see what the index came up with.

Read more.

Her world

A couple of years ago my friend, Dr. Janet Morrison captured the image in the photo positioned as the masthead of this page. 

Janet was working on an assignment I gave her:  "Give me photos of 'the Dallas no one wants to see,' I had instructed her.  She came back with some amazing shots that we used in an educational presentation designed to awaken folks to the realities of poverty here in inner city Dallas, Texas.

But, back to the image that appears here every day. 

I find the photo haunting. 

Who is this little girl? 

I know she lives in South Dallas. 

I know the photo caught her looking out a broken shutter of an open window.  She seems to be waving, or possibly just moving her hand.  She appears to see Janet.

What kind of world does she deal with living in her ramshackle, old house? 

What does she face day-by-day? 

Where is she headed? 

Is she hungry? 

Is she safe?

Is she healthy?

Is she afraid? 

How about school. . .does she go? 

What does she see, dream and hope as she looks out at the outside world? 

What story can you read in her big, brown eyes? 

What surrounds her behind the surface of this image?  What is her "back story"?

The image calls me to wonder, to pray, to think, to work. 

Frankly, it's all about her. 

Walking Cities

What would city life be like if we could actually walk to most of the places we needed to visit during the day?  What if urban design moved in a direction that minimized the need for automobiles?  What if we actually found new and effective ways to really know each other again, all due to the manner in which our lived environments were designed and built?  What if renewed communities were built with this sort of human intentionality? 

Working downtown forces these questions on me.  How can I take the rail more often?  How about my bike?  Who are my neighbors out there on the street? 

Pursue these ideas visually with a simple click here. 

Cool and hope-filled visions! 

Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin: A Novel

After hearing Colum McCann interviewed over the Christmas break, I put his latest novel, Let the Great World Spin, on my "must read soon" list.  The book is about life in urban America. 

Listen to an interview with him by clicking here.

Taste of Deep Ellum tomorrow!

Thank you to our neighbors in Deep Ellum for naming CDM the beneficiary of this event. I hope to see you all at the show!

A Taste of Deep Ellum
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm Street at Exposition
4pm to 7:30pm.

Admission $25 benefitting Central Dallas Ministries
Tickets available at frontgatetickets.com, or locally at Bill's Records, S. Lamar OR at Good Records, Greenville Ave.

A Taste of Deep Ellum will be "family friendly" and feature Live Music by a diverse group of Dallas musicians including a group of students from Zounds Sounds School of Rock, as well as local Country, Folk and Rock bands.

Food Stations by each participating restaurant/business will be spread throughout the entire building and admission will grant attendees food samples from all.

Confirmed participants:
AllGood Cafe
Baker's Ribs
Chateau de Fromage
Daddy Jack's Wood Grill
Dallas Mozzarella Company
Deep Sushi
Golden Desserts
Istanbul Grill
Monica's Aca y Alla
Murray Street Coffee
Rudolph's Meat Market
Rush Patisserie
Santiago's Taco Loco
Sol's Taco Lounge
St. Pete's Dancing Marlin
Vern's Soul Food Cafe
and the
Deep Ellum Association

Musical Entertainment by:
SHIBBOLETH ~ SHANGHAI 5
ANN ARMSTRONG & STEVE HUGHES
ZOUNDS SOUNDS SCHOOL OF ROCK
LAURA HARRELL & FRANKIE 45

The neighborhood

I live in a great, old, two-story frame house built in 1922. It sits on sort of a "boundary" block between the Munger Place Historic District (of which we are a part) and the rest of the neighborhood. During the mid-1980s, it faced demolition, but somehow was spared. I have a photo of the place shot in 1986--talk about a mess!

At least three owners prior to our purchasing the house in 1999 put a lot of effort into restoring the place. We have been working on it off and on since we moved in. I am convinced it will be a never ending job!

The movie "Money Pit" comes to mind just here!

A big part of community development and, in my view, "urban ministry" always includes renewing the physical environments.

The photos below were taken not long ago in the neighborhood where we live. It is very different from the suburban community where we lived prior to our last move to the inner city. But, it is great, eclectic and never boring!

Photo 1: Zaragoza Elementary School

Photo 2: Corner "grocery store"

Photo 3: City park adjacent to the elementary school--often filled with soccer players

Photo 4: Boys and Girls Club just behind our house

Photo 5: A bungalow down the street

Photo 6: Apartment building around the corner

Photo 7: Apartment building near elementary school

In the near future, after I have my camera repaired, I'll post some photos of the wonderful, old prairie style homes up the street from us. Most date from the first decade of the 20th century. Many have been completely restored.

Sandwiched in between many of these homes in our neighborhood are old brownstone apartments and newer multi-family units (circa 1960s) in various states of repair or disrepair, as the case may be.

Of course, neighborhoods are all about people. Ours if very diverse in every respect. And, as a result, very interesting.

More on this later.

Tired out. . .

Do you ever get tired?

Silly question, I know.

But, I mean, really, really tired without the option of taking a break or a "time out?"

One of my associates here at CDM told me one day not long ago that he had taken off about three hours in the early morning hours earlier in his week to pursue his passion--running his canoe down White Rock Creek.

"I was able to get more work done in the half a day that remained than I had all the week before because I could actually think clearly!" he reported.

Where do I buy a canoe?

I always know when it is time for a vacation when. . .

. . .I snap at those who are closest to me and who are trying to help me.

. . .I have an extra difficult time getting to sleep at night and remaining asleep through the entire night.

. . .I find myself distracted and jumping from task to task without really finishing anything.

. . .I feel like running away, but not running in the mornings at the lake!

. . .I'm not interested any more. . .in anything, even baseball.

. . .I find it hard to read.

. . .almost nothing makes me feel better.

I'm tired right now. Not sure that I have ever been as tired.

Any suggestions about how to make it until the fall when I can finally take some time off?

I'm really not complaining here.

I'm asking for help!

What do you do when you are tired, really tired?

Headlines

Every morning just reading over the headlines of page "1A" and "1B Metro" of The Dallas Morning News reveals a great deal about life in the city. I expect it is the same in every large city.

For example, take this morning's edition on Page 1A:

"Drivers offered clean break"--seems the state is about to launch a voluntary program that would pay auto owners up to $3,500 for every pre-1996 car "retired." The payment would come in the form of a voucher that could be used in purchasing a new or late model car, with the most benefit going to those who choose hybrids. Seems the state is very concerned about air quality in Dallas. No debate about smog and low air quality in our community. As always with major health issues, this one hits the poor, the elderly and the young the hardest.

"Split of 911 center sought"--the City of Dallas is planning to divide the responsibilities at our local 911 center. I didn't know it, but the current center handles both 911 emergency calls and 311 public concern calls not of an emergency nature. Surprise to me! All this time I thought real emergencies were handled apart from complaints about weeds and code compliance. Hmmm. Surely this will improve response times to life-threatening situations. I wonder if that will be the case in the heart of our city?

"More bucks for the bang"--Thanks to growing demand and several other factors, the price of ammunition in Dallas is on the rise. This could be a good thing. You know supply and demand and cost containment. Makes me wonder though, how many of the people I'll meet today will be "packing heat"?

"County by county, Hispanics take lead"--Not really a surprise here. The population of Hispanic folks across the state is rising and surpassing the number of Anglos across the state of Texas. For the first time Hispanics outnumber non-Hispanic whites in Dallas County. Hmmm. Could this be related to the growing anti-immigrant sentiment we are witnessing across the nation? (See story about Farmers Branch from Metro section below.)

"Bridge flaw may lie in steel plates"--The collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis last week may have been the result of a design flaw in the original construction. States were urged to take care in the amount of weight to be placed on bridges during repair operations. Our decaying national transportation infrastructure needs some attention, don't you think?

On page 1B of the Metro section:

"FB gets ready for legal showdown over ban"--Now that a federal court has ruled against municipal governments requiring landlords to demand proof of "legal" status from potential tenants or entering into any aspect of regulating national immigration policy, the city of Farmers Branch, Texas is seeking legal counsel from the Strasburger & Price law firm here in Dallas to led an appeal effort. Likely will cost them a bundle. To date the city has either spent or budgeted a total of $1,286,613. So far, the city has received donations in support of the effort totaling $39,448. Wonder how much the city has lost in sales tax revenue with the departure of Hispanic/Latino consumers? (See front page story above about the growth of the Hispanic population in Texas. Reckon there's a connection between the two stories?)

"Journal's recovery could ease grief"--Steve Blow's column about a visitor to Dallas from Minnesota who suffered from bipolar disease. His very unpleasant experience shines a light on our complicated city and one American family.

"Main Street makeover"--The city is creating a park right in the middle of Downtown (1.75 acres). Commerce, Harwood, Main and St. Paul will never be the same again. Grass, trees and "green space" will replace concrete, parking structures and old buildings.

"Gas delivery firm linked to 2nd fire"--A recent fire and freeway-closing explosion is linked to a company whose delivery of similar products caused a fire in the Houston area on Tuesday of this week. The incident in Dallas sounded like a war zone! You never know what is going to happen next around here!

Cities are complicated places. Interesting places.

Of course, woven throughout all the stories, and yet so often forgotten, are ordinary people who are in fact the only point.

South Dallas: Bexar Street Theatre, 1949

The photographs of Dallas photographer, Marion Butts are priceless.

This one is important to me. Shot in December 1949, it signals the tough legacy of a community destined for decline.

The historic Lincoln Theatre is located at 5414 Bexar Street, at the edge of the Ideal Neighborhood, just north of Highway 175 and not far from the Rochester Park neighborhood where Central Dallas Ministries offers our After School Academy inside the Turner Courts Housing Development.

Pictured here is S. R. Tankersley, with the Negro Moving Picture Machine Operators Union, protesting in front of the theater.

The theater was patronized solely by African Americans, but employed a white projectionist. Owners of the theater sued and won an injunction against the union to prevent them from using the word "Negro" on the pickets.

Today the old movie house sits in almost complete ruin. Restoration seems most unlikely in view of its condition.

The theater symbolizes what occurred in the surrounding community.

The racism that controlled the operation of the theater also limited the folks who lived around it.
Even in the late 1940s much of the housing stock in the area was rental in nature, with few home owners living in the community.

As the Civil Rights Movement spread across the United States and as jobs and opportunities opened up for black citizens, those who could, moved out, leaving behind those who had fewer options.

The percentage of rental housing stock continued to increase. Jobs and retail departed the area. Even the theater closed.

With the exit of the more successful former residents and with average incomes going down relative to the rest of the city, the tax base, code enforcement, city services and police protection declined as well.

The accommodation of an influential group of black pastors to the demands of the white power brokers didn't help either. White leaders were worried that the racial tension and unrest that was sweeping the nation would also come to Dallas. Deals were made, the pressure to protest was squelched and the quality of life for blacks in Dallas didn't improve as it should have, especially in neighborhoods like this one.

Today the area is in need of complete reclamation.

The City of Dallas has appropriated funds for infrastructure improvements along the section of Bexar Street pictured by Mr. Butts. Plans are in the works for single-family homes for sale.

Will it be possible to turn this neighborhood? Time will tell.

One thing seems certain to me. Without the infusion of fairly massive amounts of public investment in this community, the decay and the decline will continue.

Let's hope the public commitment comes through. This neighborhood should be reclaimed for its people and all of us who love Dallas.

[See the photographs of Marion Butts at: http://dallaslibrary.org/ctx/photogallery/marionbutts.htm.]

City depths

Urban areas present daunting challenges.

Deep, sometimes frightening "holes" open up before us, with no apparent way to get across or over.

People everywhere.

It is easy to see people as the problem.

In reality, among the poor and the distressed, people provide hope and potential solutions.

The real challenge is getting people together to decide that hope is something we create in concert with one another, no matter how deep the holes or how daunting the fears.

We are in this together.

It is in this realization and commitment that we find our way across, and sometimes down to reclaim another friend.

[Photo taken from atop The Prince George hotel, a Common Ground Development property in New York City.]