WAMU, August 1, 2019: Anacostia residents seek development without displacement
Most D.C. neighborhoods are nearly unrecognizable from just a decade ago, with some notable exceptions, mostly East of the River. But while development may be slower-moving in Southeast, it’s happening all the same.
Last fall, a new sports and entertainment arena — home to the Mystics — opened in Congress Heights. And in the spring, a Busboys and Poets set up shop in Anacostia, becoming one of the only sit-down establishments in the historic neighborhood.
Gentrification was the unspoken word of the evening — and the reality that growth and change come at a price.
Ron Moten, founder and owner of Check It Enterprises, said the property taxes for his business in Southeast D.C. increased in one year from $4,100 to $6,200. Moten said he’d like to see “displacement free zones” — which other cities have adopted and which could include a freeze on property taxes for small businesses in areas where prices are rising.
