NICOLAS MARTINEZ

Today, DC is changing so rapidly due to influx of money and young professionals that the District is in the national spotlight of what it means to be “gentrified”. Recent turmoil in the quickly changing Shaw neighborhood has given long-time residents and newcomers alike something to worry about. Yet this is spike in crime and shootings in the area isn’t stopping some from planting their roots.

Aside from demolishing historic buildings and plopping luxury condos in their wake, some developers and homeowners are choosing a funkier route. They call them “pop-ups” whereby historic row houses (with the certain DC charm) have added levels on top of the original foundation.

Aside from the visual aesthetic issues, pop-ups pose a real social problem – they make a very clear and penetrative statement that whoever occupies the house or condo likely has much more money than the surrounding residents. This creates for a very tense environment where traditionally blue-collar and lower-income workers are seeing their neighborhoods overrun with new younger and often white residents who have more money. It begs the question: who’s neighborhood is it? Does it “belong” to anyone and if so, who has the right to dictate which direction it goes? Additionally, how do we mitigate violent conflict between new residents and old? Is this missing the point? Let me know.