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ColdJay64 t1_izfzn52 wrote

Reply to comment by ifthereisnomirror in Fishtown, Point Breeze have become far wealthier in the last 10 years and other new Census findings by Dryheavemorning

That's why he blocked the entire Washington Ave. safety improvement plan for his half?

That's why he has blocked the sales of vacant lots to developers, wanting to leave them vacant?

That's why anyone who wants to develop on Point Breeze Ave. has to bribe him for a zoning variance? Why do you think that area is so dead/rundown despite all the new residents in the neighborhood?

The neighborhood could be far more vibrant and safe if he cared about anything beyond keeping himself in office, which he doesn't. Also evidenced by him previously being on trial for corruption.

Johnson is the epitome of what's wrong with Philadelphia leadership.

Edit: fixed typo

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ifthereisnomirror t1_izg39d6 wrote

I mean yes it is part of why he did a lot of those things?

Those sorts of improvements lead to an increase in property values which lead to increased costs of living for the people he represents. If those people stop living there he is less likely to get elected.

I’m not saying I agree with his policies.

I think there’s plenty of bad leadership here in the city, it’s unfair to give that title to Johnson so easily.

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-Ch4s3- t1_izg9n8q wrote

Blocking improvements to amenities to keep down home prices is kind of perverse isn’t it? Surely his constituents deserve to benefit from the growing wealth of the city.

How does this even stop displacement? Won’t new and wealthier people eventually start buying up the limited housing stock in the neighborhood if nothing changes?

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ifthereisnomirror t1_izgb94s wrote

People often don’t act in their own best interest.

A lot of the sentiment that I’ve encountered living in Johnson’s district for the past few decades is that people want things to stay the way that they are.

I don’t think it’s stopping change or displacement in the area, it’s inevitable.

Eventually a reasonable person will run and take the seat from him, it just hasn’t happened yet.

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-Ch4s3- t1_izgbqup wrote

I totally get the impulse to keep things the same, but it just isn’t realistic and cities have never stayed the same over decades. It’s a real failure of politicians to promise that they can freeze a neighborhood in amber.

It’s sad to me because space could be carved out to help people stay and to give them better city services while allowing the change to happen.

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ifthereisnomirror t1_izgei2i wrote

Totally. If only we could get more honest politicians.

Maybe. Services cost money.

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-Ch4s3- t1_izgf11y wrote

For sure, but a little population growth can generate a lot of revenue. The next few years might be tough but investments need to be long term in focus.

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ColdJay64 t1_izgarh2 wrote

We live in the poorest big city in America. Believe it or not, preventing safety improvements to roads, keeping amenities out of neighborhoods, limiting the tax base, etc. won't help the current residents with anything except keeping them in poverty. Is that really the best outcome?

I don't know all the answers, but keeping an area an objectively worse place to live for everyone, just to keep property values down, isn't it.

There is definitely plenty of bad leadership. I'm saying he's exemplary of everything that's wrong with it - corrupt, self-serving, shortsighted, misguided, etc.

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AbsentEmpire t1_izgwdw8 wrote

Keeping the place deprived of amenities isn't keeping property values down either, because at its core Point Breeze is a transit accessible neighborhood to Center City, and Philly overall has a housing shortage in in demand locations, hense what's driving Point Breeze.

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