Nkozia Bethune
High Crime in DC is Overshadowed by High Housing Value
Urban areas across the country have become strategic opportunities for wealthy investors and developers to convert housing in impoverished communities into high-priced homes and condominiums for wealthy buyers. A recent study cited the District of Columbia (D.C.) as having “the highest intensity of gentrification of any U.S. city.” Therefore, in order to keep attracting wealthy outsiders, true crime statistics are going unreported.
It’s no surprise that publication of criminal activity affects the home values of low-income areas targeted in the gentrification takeover. The crimes of D.C. are not formalized, documented or publicized for the communities which are exceedingly affected by violence. Moreover, there is not a centralized platform for local communities to meaningfully fight against the increasing crime and the continuous incompetence of police entrusted to protect them. The more law enforcement keeps crime rates out of the news, the better image the D.C. Metropolitan area has for international investors buying property.
Statistics on the Rise of Crime
Crimes are not publicized because of this: The majority of homes are bought without the knowledge of the increase in homicide rates, spiking to 4 percent since 2018, according to the Metropolitan Police Department:
| CRIME | PERCENTAGE % (Increase since 2018) |
| ROBBERY | 4% |
| AUTO THEFT | 3% |
| ALL THEFT | 10% |
| ARSON | 100% |
| PROPERTY CRIME | 6% |
| HOMICIDE | 8% |
Homes are bought by international and foreign business people, many of whom were able to take advantage of the recession period in 2007-2010 to purchase homes at a low rate and generate high revenue from the home investments.
Another Child Dead from Violence & No One Knows
May 27th, 2019, a 15 year-old boy was killed just 7 minutes away from the police station in the Congress Heights neighborhood. There were four people fatally shot among 20 injured in the three day span of constant violence in the area. I’m of the belief, the media failed to report this influx in criminal activity, in order to maintain what has come to be viewed as a progressive and “changing” urban area, which encourages gentrification.
When crimes are publicized housing values are lowered drastically. In many ways, it becomes an intentional act of concealment from the public by the news media not to report these crimes that are affecting the dynamics of long-standing communities and youth. D.C. residents are ill informed of the dangers that plague the D.C. area due to the lack of information reported in attempts to advance the city’s aggressive gentrification craftiness. Interestingly, these acts of communal eugenics is uncanny to the Tasmanian indigenous people of Australia, whom were pushed out of their communities and exterminated for the interest of white Europeans.
Gentrification: Fight Against Eugenics
This information supports the constant complaint among many groups that gentrification is becoming genocide for the Afro-American community. We need to begin encouraging the development of organizations within these communities to fight against gun violence, gentrification, and the lack of publication of vital information within community news.
According to the Fire and EMS District of Columbia Time Metrics, it takes law enforcement more than 13 minutes to respond to a call. In New York City, there is a population of 8,622,698 million people and it takes an average of 6 minutes for police to respond to calls. The National Response time for the police department is approximately 9 minutes and 35 seconds, according to SafeSmartLiving. Although the average response time is 9 minutes, we must not omit the different response time that persists based on race, income or communities. Law Enforcement is a fragmented system that fails to secure the lives of Americans. Over the years, crime and violence in Washington D.C has increasingly worsened although we have 57 Police Service Areas.
There is a correlation between careless police departments and urban renewal. When talking to several D.C. natives, they have expressed a concern that police do not care about their safety and have witnessed police officer’s passive response towards their needs. The pattern of news resources ignoring vital information to keep the masses un-informed is a direct attempt to keep the buying of property high, while creating divisiveness and misleading the community. There has to be more initiatives to have youth and adults support their community by means of essential information sharing through independent blogs, social media and community news, email, and letters for the protection and stabilization of Afro-Americans.
Pushing Minorities Out of D.C.
Furthermore, housing laws in the metropolitan area are changing drastically as they make it harder for natives to navigate through the housing market. You now have to maneuver through extensive red tape just to keep a roof over your head.
Just to find housing most places require:
- Proof of income
- High credit score
- 2 years rental history
- No evictions
- 1 month deposit
These requirements are incredibly hard for first time leasers but even more difficult for Afro-Americans in the community whom have often failed to realize the importance of maintaining a good credit score. This notion is supported by Andrew Young’s recent documentary, The Color of Money, which highlights the economic disparity while also implementing the solution of free financial literacy classes through the Hope Operation.
What’s Next: Community Building
The purpose of this writing is to guide the initiative of developing a communal platform to hold media sources responsible for the news coverage and demanding an audit on the Metropolitan Police Department for the inability to protect low income communities. There are over 57 police service areas in the 63.34 square miles of Washington D.C., however, crime is at an all time high, yet housing values are persistently increasing. This correlation elucidates to the corruption of federal police force and the perpetual attack on Afro-Americans through urban renewal.
About The Author
Don Enzo
Candace Paul
This is a phenomenal piece of work that needs to begin circulating in our communities now. Thank you for sharing this information and consolidating for the masses of people to understand. I look forward to reading more literary work from you.