I’ve lived in Jamaica Plain since 2000. I have loved this neighborhood because of it’s amazing diversity of cultures and economic strata, the mom and pop shops, the artists, musicians, grass roots organizers, non-profits, and the overall non homogeneous melting pot of people. I’ve watched gentrification creep in slowly over the years, and then spike up in an uncontrollable speed in the past 2 years. A Whole Foods Market moving into Hyde Square was basically the introductory death-knell of this neighborhood.

Age old question: Why live in a neighborhood if all you can do is live there?

Gentrification is a highly nuanced and complicated thing, but on a street level, what I see is people wanting to move to a neighborhood to take advantage of its arts and cultural heritage, funky restaurants and shops, and bars etc. But, the uncontrolled and unregulated actions of luxury developers leads to a ton of upwardly mobile people moving in, displacing the people who already live in the neighborhood, including the people that were responsible for making it a desirable place to be. More and more cookie cutter white bread people and less and less cultural diversity, arts, and local flavor. WTF?!

Why am I speaking out now? Because my block of JP is on fire and we need a bucket brigade of support to help keep what makes JP great from being wiped out!

3371-3375 Washington St./197-201 Green St: City Realty wants to build a massive Luxury Complex around Mordechai’s building (above) and will be kicking out El Embajador Dominican Restaurant, and De Chain Auto Service to do so. Read More