Historical October 1984 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
(Editor’s Note: Don Fitz, Treasurer of the Washington Heights Neighbors, has offered to submit articles on a regular basis to The Times.
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Board of The West End Publishing Co., and responses are welcome.)
Mitchell Pettigrew has been a resident of Skinker-DeBaliviere for over 16 years. But, if redevelopers have their way, Mr. Pettigrew will be our neighbor no longer.
During the first week of September 1984, 48 families living on the 6100 block of Waterman received notice from City Equity that they have 30 days to vacate their homes.
On Sunday, Sept. 16, many of these families held their first meeting to discuss what they could do to stay in Skinker-DeBaliviere.
Mike Magrath, an area neighbor who has worked on tenant rights for years, explained that the reason the real estate companies are driving people from their homes is simple: money. Magrath explained that there are at least eight ways redevelopers can get huge sums of money from the federal, state, and St. Louis city governments: 1. Real estate tax reductions; 2. Twenty-five year tax abatements; 3. Low interest loans from the state: 4. Rent and purchase subsidies; 5. Tax credits; 6. Tax shelters: 7. Tax exempt bonds; and, 8. Community Development Agency (CDA) dollars.
In contrast to these fabulous government doles for the rich, the Waterman neighbors are only being offered “up to” $200 moving expenses. But, many families doubt that they will ever see any of that $200. Steve McClendon is one of the area’s most recent residents—recent because this is the second time he has been ordered to vacate this year.
He told of being promised “up to” $300 moving expenses by City Equity when he was forced out of his home at 321 Belt in June 1984.
Even after providing them with receipts for $120 expenses, McClendon explained that he still has not received a dime.
He does not believe City Equity’s promise to pay after this eviction, either. Yet, the dollars that people might or might not receive can never replace the pain of being forced to leave friends and neighbors.
This is particularly hard on elderly residents who watch moderately priced housing vanish as they try to eke out an existence on a fixed income. Mr. Pettigrew had worked for the election of Mayor Vince Schoemehl and Alderman Dan McGuire. So, when he got his eviction notice, he called the alderman. But, the alderman only replied that there was nothing he could do. Residents who came to the Sept. 16 meeting received several legal suggestions. Tenants could form an association, elect a president and treasurer, and, rather than pay rent, put their money into an escrow account which would be paid to the landlord once their right to stay was assured.
It was pointed out that, since the owner offered to pay “up to” $200 moving expenses, he may be willing to go much higher and that tenants who have stuck together have gotten as much as $1000 from speculators who had reasons to get them out quickly. But, most important is the fact that elderly citizens may be able to obtain free legal services to protect their home. (Any elderly resident who is threatened with eviction should call Mike Magrath at 862-7624 or Don Fitz at 727-8554 for more information.) Speculators who are greedy for quick profits do not always have perfect respect for either the law or human dignity. Though it may be illegal to turn off people’s water or heat during winter, Mr. Magrath told of cases where tenants who had been ordered to leave having woken up to find basement pipes “mysteriously” broken.
The best way to guard against this possibility is to keep all doors locked and watch for unidentified persons trying to snoop around and gain entry into your apartment. Residents throughout the Skinker-DeBaliviere area have become concerned over the real estate speculation which has recently plagued our community. Apartment renters have watched neighbor after neighbor put out of their homes and wonder what they will do when all of the available housing has been “rehabbed” so that rent is two or three times what it was. Home owners worry that the new condo jet-setters in the $40-$60,000 income range may enthusiastically back the politicians’ programs for more spotblighting until everyone who cannot afford $100,000 in renovations is driven out. Increasingly, residents ask why millions are available to corporate investors while home owners only get the bureaucratic runaround when they ask for money to remodel their homes.
It does seem odd that we are taxed and taxed and taxed so the government (federal, state, and city of St. Louis) can give money away to speculators who are already so rich that they hardly know how to spend what they have.
The politicians who supposedly represent Skinker-DeBaliviere seem unable or unwilling to do anything to protect people’s right to stay in our neighborhood (at least when those people are fixed-income, black, or elderly instead of wealthy redevelopers).
When several area residents attended a Board of Aldermen committee meeting on blighting, Mr. McGuire shook his head sadly about the evictions. Then he repeated that he could not think of a single way to help people out. Washington Heights Neighbors accepts the challenge of building an organization which has genuine concern for our neighbors who are being left out in the cold by redevelopment. Residents who want to protect their own future by joining to stop our neighbors from being pushed out of their homes are invited to come to the Washington Heights Neighbors meeting at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Hamilton Community School.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, October 1984.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1984_10.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
