Black private ownership diminishes gentrification

On Nov. 4 the Durham City Council approved a proposal that will lead to the further gentrification to downtown Durham. To my surprise, after receiving numerous calls and comments, from both white and black citizens, I am responding to the recent City Council’s action that continues to exacerbate downtown Durham’s “gentrified segregation.”

First, I wish to congratulate the development group that received the council’s vote to approve their project. I wish them every success. Second, the current council members, except for Mark Anthony Middleton, are now complicit in the resegregation and exclusion of black property owners in downtown Durham. This is very simple.

The proposed African American ownership and partnership with a nationally recognized developer offered the city more money (over $2 million more) for the old police building, offered more affordable housing, offered more local ownership and offered more African-American ownership than the other proposed developer. Black private ownership diminishes gentrification and would have diminished downtown Durham’s current “gentrified segregated” district.

The six council members indicated that the two proposals which were before them were both excellent proposals. However, the city’s staff preferred the non-local, less money ($2 million less), less affordable housing, and less local African American ownership opportunity, developer from Boston.

In my opinion, the six council members who voted for this developer’s proposal failed to serve and lead the Durham taxpayers. Each one of them have decried gentrification, yet when they had a chance to practice what they preached, they failed. Downtown Durham will continue it’s almost exclusive white ownership, while the politicians will continue to praise Durham’s black history by praising Parrish Street as the former Black Wall Street.

Others may be afraid to call out the City Council for this shameful vote, but I am not. Their vote, even those cast by black council members, shows the utter disrespect for black inclusion and ownership in downtown Durham.

We will not lose our history and we will maintain our legacy. With this in mind, I am stepping aside from my practice of law, to focus my attention with many others, young and old, to help end this “gentrified segregation” in our community. The best way to do this is to change the leadership of Durham.