All Forum Posts by: Avee-Ashanti Shabazz

Revitalize:
To bring life back. The act of redeveloping a area to initiate growth.

Gentrification:
To displace. The act of using the effects of real estate development as a tool (weapon) to uproot and force out the existing residents of a area.

Solution:
In any area slated to be revitalized, a stipend to rehab the existing residents homes should be created and funded by:
1. Companies looking to profit 100's of millions from developing that area.
2. Banks thru their Community Reinvestment Act responsibility.
3. Federal, State, and Local Government.
...so that existing homes in bad condition will not adversely affect property values of newly rehabbed and newly built homes, while simultaneously making the existing residents part of the growth of their community.
Also there should be measures put in place to protect existing residents who cannot afford increases in property taxes, such as the establishment of Community Land trust.

REVITALIZATION DOES NOT EQUAL GENTRIFICATION. GENTRIFICATION EQUALS CARELESS GREED.

@Corey Key, As Denise stated above....I have found that the key is understanding there are 2 different redemptions afforded to the defunct owner: Administrative Redemption(up to 3 years after tax sale) & Judicial Redemption (3 years after taking possession of property)...which means that a overall redemption for certificate/deeds purchased from the state (1 year old) could be 3 up to 5 years. 

Please define "you". The statute states "3 years after the tax sale". Furthermore, the State issues the investor the Deed if "3 years from the Tax sale" has passed. Here, the State DOES NOT require the 3 years to start once the investor pays the tax.  Although I've heard the sentiment you expressed before, what is the authority to back that sentiment? 

Can a investor buy tax property 5years or older and Quiet the title immediately? Meaning there are no rights to redemption once the property is 5 or more years delinquent?

@David Sugg...I like your mind bruh! You thought that out thoroughly. I have to dig into that mentally before I can respond. Deep. The one thing that immediately stuck out as a concern to me was those 20 years at 10%.

@Damaso Bautista.... I can appreciate your honest. The question is posed to those that DO care about affordable housing...and I am confident that a affordable housing market can make investors money as well. Not as much as over priced market rates, but profits. Just a thought...

 Poor is a choice? Wow. Most all poor people I know work like hell to get out of poverty, but based of things outside of their control (wages, jobs, access, market rates....) they are in effect trapped. Its apparent that some of these comments were made by people totally disconnected from the reality of poverty. Shhhhh

Affordable does not mean free or a hand out. I would hope that we all live in homes we can afford. Why is that a strike against those who don't have as much? 

Again, I'm interested in IDEAS on how to create an affordable housing market for the citizens of Birmingham. Not comments belittling and stereotyping poor people.

How do we create housing that is affordable for the existing citizens of Birmingham and still make a profit? 

The current Revitalization is setting market rates far out of reach of most all Birmingham citizens with housing $150k and up. Meanwhile the median income for Birmingham is $31k...30% live below the poverty rate of $25k... and 61% live right above it. 

The NEED for an affordable housing market that is not government based is desperately needed. 

How can it be done?