Urban Renewal or Urban Removal?

Summary

The video explores the revitalization of the Russell neighborhood in West Louisville, Kentucky, focusing on the ambitious $870 million urban renewal project aimed at transforming Beecher Terrace. The project seeks to replace outdated public housing with mixed-income housing while avoiding gentrification. The city’s efforts involve community land trusts, affordable housing initiatives, and the return of former residents. Through the story of Jamia Huddleston, a former resident, the project is portrayed as a chance for community empowerment and equity, while confronting challenges related to poverty, race, and displacement in the area.

Takeaways

• 😀 Big cities across America, including Louisville, have been targeting poor neighborhoods for urban renewal, often causing displacement of residents.
• 😀 West Louisville, particularly the Russell neighborhood, is undergoing an $870 million revitalization plan to improve the area without gentrifying it.
• 😀 The Beecher Terrace housing project is central to this transformation, where a $187 million plan aims to replace the old housing with mixed-income homes and commercial properties.
• 😀 Jamie Huddleston, a former resident of Beechers Terrace, now works as a baker and is hopeful for the future of her neighborhood despite a difficult past.
• 😀 Beecher Terrace, built in 1939, was once home to Kentucky's growing Black middle class but now stands in an area where 60% of residents live in poverty.
• 😀 The city of Louisville plans to ensure that a third of the displaced residents will be able to return to the newly renovated Beechers Terrace.
• 😀 Community land trusts are being explored as a way to ensure that wealth generated from housing stays within the Russell neighborhood and doesn't lead to further displacement.
• 😀 The creation of community land trusts is a relatively new concept for Louisville, despite being used for decades in other parts of the U.S.
• 😀 Josh Poe, a community organizer, points out that the redevelopment of Beechers Terrace is part of long-standing patterns of urban renewal and racial inequality.
• 😀 Louisville's mayor emphasizes that while the neighborhood will change, the goal is to regenerate without displacing the current community, offering lifetime guarantees for former residents who want to return.

Q & A

What is the focus of the $870 million plan in West Louisville, Kentucky?

The $870 million plan focuses on improving the historic Russell neighborhood without gentrifying it. Central to the plan is the creation of mixed-income housing, as well as the redevelopment of the Beecher Terrace housing project.

How does the city of Louisville plan to avoid gentrification while improving the Russell neighborhood?

The city aims to avoid gentrification by ensuring that redevelopment efforts do not displace current residents. Strategies include building mixed-income housing, implementing community land trusts, and providing opportunities for original residents to return to new homes.

What is a community land trust, and how does it function in this project?

A community land trust allows the community to collectively own land in trust, ensuring that wealth created from land ownership remains within the neighborhood. Homeowners in the trust can take a certain amount of equity out when selling their property, but any excess is reinvested into the trust to benefit the community.

Why does Mayor Greg Fischer believe that urban renewal in Louisville can be done without displacing residents?

Mayor Fischer believes that the pace of growth in Louisville is slower compared to other cities, giving the community time to address urban renewal in a more measured way. He emphasizes a lifetime guarantee for residents of Beechler Terrace to move back once redevelopment is complete.

What historical context does the Beechler Terrace housing project have in Louisville?

Beecher Terrace was originally built in 1939 to accommodate Kentucky's growing Black middle class. At the time, it featured restaurants and businesses along the streets but has since become associated with poverty, with 60% of the Russell neighborhood's population currently living in poverty.

What role does Jamie Huddleston play in the West Louisville community, and how has her life changed?

Jamie Huddleston is a 28-year-old baker in West Louisville. She grew up in Beechler Terrace, which was a challenging environment. However, her life has improved significantly as she now enjoys the support of a close community and is working toward homeownership in the newly redeveloped Beechler Terrace.

What challenges does Jamie face in her journey toward homeownership?

Jamie faces challenges, including overcoming a difficult childhood without family support. However, through the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, she receives financial assistance, with her rent matched and funds placed in escrow for a future down payment on a home.

How does the city plan to ensure that current residents can return after Beechler Terrace is rebuilt?

The city guarantees that current residents of Beechler Terrace will have the opportunity to return once the area is redeveloped. They are being assisted through programs like Family Self-Sufficiency, which helps them save for homeownership.

What historical urban planning practices does Josh Poe, a local urban planner, associate with the redevelopment of Beechler Terrace?

Josh Poe associates the redevelopment of Beechler Terrace with historical practices like structural racism, urban renewal, and redlining. He believes these issues are embedded in the patterns of urban development and need to be addressed carefully.

What is the projected timeline for completing the Beechler Terrace redevelopment?

The redevelopment of Beechler Terrace is projected to be completed by 2023, with $187 million being invested in the demolition of the old buildings and the construction of new mixed-income housing and commercial properties.