An interesting article at Yes!Weekly describes how leaders of several organizations– including school board chair Deena Hayes-Greene– agitated before the Greensboro City Council to obtain certain considerations with regard to economic development in east Greensboro.
They claim they have been ignored; and that their neighborhoods lag behind with respect to property values, schools, job opportunities, local shopping, recreation, green spaces, zoning and planning.
It is rare for me to sympathize with Council members, but in this case, these folks are making demands that defy reality.
Why would anyone want to invest in an area with high crime rates?
These same people agitating before the Council are those who will reflexively undermine the police and place a stranglehold on crime control through racial identity politics. It is no wonder their neighborhoods lag behind.
It should be noted that east Greensboro “punches above its weight” with regard to political influence and bloc voting. These conditions persist despite having had control of local politics for decades.
They complain about local properties not being maintained, but the first effort to hold the owners accountable will be met with resistance and cries of victimization.
East Greensboro has been on a downward spiral for decades. It arguably has more amenities than it used to have. But why would any business or developer choose to go there when other options exist?
They can keep on raising taxes but it ain’t going to lead the mule to water. East Greensboro needs risk takers with the guts to spend their money.
I think, Fred, East Greensboro needs some correction and reform within its own communities.
First rule of business: Put your store where you can make a profit. If there’s no income in the area where you put your store, it’s a losing proposition.
As you quoted Ross Perot in another thread: “People who don’t make anything, can’t buy anything.”
No money = no sales.
There’s a reason Rolls Royce doesn’t have a dealership on Phillips Avenue.
Yes, JayCee. That is quite true. While there are some retail establishments in east Greensboro of various types, many chains will be hesitant to invest in this type of area. Developers might also be hesitant to take risks on high-end approaches. Otherwise, you must rely on organically developing local enterprises started up by entrepreneurs within the community. How much of that do we see in that part of town?
As I recall, there was a fresh food enterprise in E. GSO that opened to much fanfare in the local media a few years back. Healthy foods for poor people.
Predictably, it shut down quietly a short time later—couldn’t make enough $$$ to stay in business.
You’re right, Jaycee. One wonders whether the act of sowing grievances is the object– not the alleged outcomes they claim to be pursuing.