Choppy Waters Ahead

Choppy Waters Ahead

We've seen the DOW tank a little bit as of late. We've seen some big-time mortgage lenders like American Mortgage slashing their employee base by 90% in hopes to recover major losses. Lenders will be increasing their LOSS reserves in order to recover more and more foreclosures and delinquencies. At this point in the financial circle, we are going to take hit and hit by our selfish ways and over-lending to the public. Interest rates will start to go up again soon, possibly skyrocket within a year...and getting a loan won't be so easy anymore.
The recent adage of "BAD CREDIT - YOU'RE APPROVED" will be junked. Basically, as far as I'm concerned, approving money loans in that nature only further worsened the dumbification of America. It almost meant that you could get something for nothing. It meant that we trust you to be responsible even though you are alrady proven to be irresponsible. Does that make logic to you? No. It doesn't - but America has been sold on it, all in the order of PROFIT and PROGRESS.

Michigan is already getting hit hard with this, and only will get hit harder. Stop thinking it's all the politician's fault, or Granholm's fault. It's not that all together. It's a NATIONAL problem, and we are all in this boat together.
Obviously if you are in a part of the country that is fairing better, you will fair better as well during these rough times ahead.
Don't be surprised to see all those new fancy "McMansions" never selling because no one wants them, and don't be surprised if it is literally impossible to sell and get out of your current one.

In regards to that, the McMansion style home is perpetually flawed at this point. We will now be living in an economy that must be more frugal and less "money grows on trees". The design of the home is ineffeciant, with ridiculous square footage that is unnecessary for the basic, standard, comfortable living for a family of four. In addition to that, the vaulted/cathedral ceilings in a MICHIGAN environment are a nightmare in the winter - your heating costs are astronomical.
Realize, the people who originally had "cathedral" ceilings were just that - people who lived in a cathedral, castle, etc. They were wealthy and also, the standards of living were different back then. Now, in order for us to get OUR standard of living in THEIR format is simply inefficient and too expensive.

I definetly see the "progress" of the last ten years slowing down considerably. All of this overbuilding and saturation in the outreaching suburbs will come to a halt. It's possible a focus will be made more on the inner suburbs - as homes are cheaper, smaller, and the convenience to services/commerce/retail is more convenient, even walkable in some instances.
In a time where not only are we trying to be energy efficient but energy starved, it only makes sense to position yourself where you see best fit.
We are by nature NOMADS, especially in this day of society where we are always seeking the best location for comfort/quality/money-making capabilities...

I don't doubt that the "American Dream" or what is thought of it will soon get a harsh makeover..

It Scares Me

It Scares Me

Cars zooming by all around me. People who insist they must go faster, they must tailgate you. The acres of parking filled with SUV type vehicles. The magically green grass the acts like a buffer between the harsh concrete world and the places we make home or call work.
The overcast feeling you get when walking by buildings that have succumbed to the grips of an uncontrollable monster. The monster that neglects the older, less traveled by... in order to create more of the same, but disproportionately so, all in the name of progress and profit. More of the same, less of dissimilar, too much of too many.

The constant creation of new cornerstones of life, on every lasting square inch of our destiny. The constant neglect of our heritage, what we were, and no insight into who we are really becoming.
These buildings we create, all for in the name of progress, profit, "ultra" convenience (meaning drivable, not walkable) and quantity over quality.

I see buildings and homes cheaply built, on land cheaply sold, all for profit. The infrastructure is not complex, but very simple and not efficient and not paid for by those who develop the land. Instead, it is the taxpayers who pay for this progress into the vast outreaches of nature. The utilities, water, power, sewers, roads, and other services must be paid for by someone. But you think the people who develop the land would do it, but they don't.

Homes that still use siding as their primary exterior finish, retail establishments that insist on using stucco every where they can. These stucco finishes, if painted will be sun-beaten in only a few years, making brand new buildings a decade old.
Homes that are built not only cheaply, but on a monstrous level, with four or five bedrooms that each alone are twice the size of the accommodations the previous generation used to have. What is the need for all of this space? Certainly, I hope not just because "it's there, so why not?"... does every bedroom need to fit a king-size bed, plus a seating area? What have the arrangements and the primary elements of a home transformed into? It appears they will soon become homes within a home, and a home will soon enough literally be a man's castle.

Suburbia and it's perceived positives get into the very fabric of our lives. It's in our blood, for us to think and act a certain way. We learn it from our parents, from our friends, from the media, and then we proceed to teach it to more people, our children and our descendants. Suburbia is "the better way", it is "the American way", where your dreams can come true. Suburbia is cheaper, it is peaceful and safe, and it's the best of country and city. All the nice things are in suburbia, too.
And if you live in Detroit...
Suburbia is the escape from Detroit, or rather the safe haven. Suburbia is the only place you know, as Detroit is "not spoken of", and if it is, is always expressed negatively or with dissenting feelings. "Why would you drive around in Detroit? Do you want to get shot?" ...and so forth. This perception, which is quite dated, is expressed on a very common level among Detroit suburbanites. It scares me because, it shows a grand level of ignorance. People believe what they are told, what they learn from the media, and accept it as the hard-core truth.
And yet, they live in suburbia, a place that is not exempt from the harsh realities on earth. People are murdered in the 'burbs, there are crimes, robberies, drug deals, and other horrible acts. The people of America are convinced suburbia is the "okay" place to be, because the government and police will always protect them, because it's supposed to be that way, because it's America.
The truth is, the government hasn't been around to protect you for a long time. If you haven't noticed, it does take a lot of your tax money and is filled with congressman, senators, and presidents who are filled with a lot of BS. Exactly how are they protecting me? If I can't believe what's coming out of their mouth, how do I trust the system that is in place?

So, for everyone who lives in the burbs, don't think you are so safe. Suburbia is no utopia, even if you live out on 26 mile road. It might seem like it, but you are looking through jaded eyes. Reality is still reality. People are still people. Crime follows people, and people follow crime. There is no way around it.
Buying an SUV does not make you any more "Safe" or "Secure". If you think it does, why not upgrade to a semi-truck for safe measure? For sure, tractor trailers are the safest vehicle you can drive...
What we perceive as "safe" is what we perceive as "closeted" or "zoned out of reality".
Why we keep building and building so far away from our epicenters of density, our original cornerstones of life. Why we keep recreating our illusion of what is safe, acceptable, and profitable. Leaving so many blighted buildings behind, filled with memories that are left to rot. Buildings that are neglected, not a cent to upgrade or remodel, for the business has traveled away with the rest of the people. Inching and crawling away from a perceived fear of fear...
That is what scares me the most. That we live in fear of everything every day of our lives, so much so that it has come to the point where the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Gentrification

Gentrification

I understand it's implications. Our goal is to rehabilitate, restore, or revive older, dilapidated and blighted neighborhoods. In the process though, displacement will occur as lower incomes in the final processes will eventually seek out other neighborhoods. This is due to increases in land value, rental costs, tax levied, and operational costs for businesses in the neighborhood.

To me though, it is completing a circle. At one point we build these neighborhoods, decades ago, and they deteriorate and devalue over time. Inevitably, they should come back to reprise their former glory. The same can be seen for the wealther incomes that built most of these neighborhoods: They left for various reasons, and lower income residents moved in. Now, with gentrification, there is the option to restore these neighborhoods, but in the process the circle completes itself, with wealther folks moving back in and lower income families moving out.

Crime, location, schools, taxes, and the "Feel" of the neighborhood were various reasons many whites moved out of Detroit proper. Part of the problem is also race-related, as many black folks moved to Detroit in search of good jobs and good homes...they wanted the American Dream too. Well, things worked out for a while...but when the good jobs went away with the White population, then bad things happen, such as the riots of 67. These riots led to a deterioration of the city and it's neighborhoods as a whole... from the physical image and activities within it, to even a "mental" image that makes most suburbanites shudder.

There is no reason to shudder...crime happens everywhere, even in your own backyard. Of course, that is exactly what suburbanites do not want, and they have a friendly acronym for it: NIMBY. This usually applies to limited means, but in general most suburbanites have this mindset and DO apply it to most means.
In Detroit, especially downtown, in the Cass Corridor and Midtown, changes are happening. Gentrification is slowly taking shape in these areas. In order for Detroit to revive itself, it needs money, and that's the bottom line. It needs private and public money to revive itself...and the reality is that in this region, majority of suburbanites hold the greatest amount of wealth.
That means suburbanites, in order to revive and restore their city, must give back this wealth. They must forgive and forget the past, and realize their ignorance and arrogance.
Gentrification is one means to do this, for wealthier residents to take part in the urban renewel and put forth their money, their means and devotion towards a common goal. It is a very slow process, but in the end it means a better Detroit.

I drove down Gratiot the other day, and every single business or establishment along the road withing Detroit proper really saddens me. I try to envision what these historic buildings used to look like in their hayday. I imagine what they could become, their potential. The really sad part is that a majority of the city looks just like this, over and over again. Blight, deterioration and a decline of standards, operations, and connections.

Most major cities have districts with wealthier neighborhoods, poor neighborhoods, and in between. It seems Detroit only has a majority of poor neighborhoods, with bits and peices of nicer kept areas with historic homes.
Detroit is spread out and is not a dense city in any means, although it stands it stark contrast to it's most disconnected suburbs. Detroit needs more density and needs to condense itself to be more profitable and more sustainable. The city as a whole, with it's raw square footage is just simply very, very hard to operate.
Gentrification could boost this process of providing more density to neighborhoods across the city. It could be along the major arteries, in little nooks or corners of the city, or surrounding downtown. In the process, people will be displaced, but districts and more sustsainable neighborhoods will form. Wealther ones, middle class, and lower income neighborhoods that are more identifiable.
There will still be crime, still be taxes, and of course, for the fellow, unforgiving suburbanites, still be black people. To me, it still seems they are running away from them, to the outreaches of 26 mile road where the ratio is probably 99% white residents.

Downtown is the heart of the city and must spur the development around it... just like when a person dies, you first attempt to restart their heart. Downtown will lead the revival of the neighborhoods and the city as a whole, but it takes baby steps to get there, and years of work and dedication.
But remember, remember what I remind you again: it is the city that needs money, devotion, and affection...and the majority of people with money in this region live in the suburbs. They need to help and take action. Some of them do, and this is great, but there needs to be more. Slowly but surely, good and positive word of mouth eventually displaces negative words and beliefs.
Slowly, this city will recover, just as slowly as she was originally built over time.