Everywhere a blot, blot. A 'blot' is a block long lot ... I LOVE that! I almost missed this hopeful tale of community renewal on MSN Real Estate yesterday. This is one of those stories that makes sense and highlights the fact that 'we're the ones we've been waiting for.'
Anyone who knows me knows I am 
a community develpment advocate. Nonprofit housing agencies have a special place in my heart for the amazing work that they do. In this instance, we have an army of regular citizens in some of our nation's most blighted neighborhoods partnering with their local governments and investing in, reclaiming and redefining the environment around them. This story is another positive beacon of hope in on-the-ground developments with housing at the local level.
For too long, we as a society have generally accepted the term 'inner city' as a virtual slur, a code word for 'undesireable,' 'scary,' 'lost cause,' and a host of other characterizations and judgements, almost none of them positive. The funny thing is, this negative connotation is a uniquely Western understanding of the phrase, with a history I was reminded of, and still find fascinating upon a cursory search on Wikipedia.
'Urban' does not have to be synonmous with negativity. Urban communities are vibrant places with interesting people, and they are usually (though not exclusively) home to a a large portion of our cultural wealth and heritage: from sports to the arts and architecture, to the awesome amalgamation of diverse people, cultures and cuisines that they contain.
What excites me about this story is that it shows the neighborhood pride of people across America and the simple truth about all of our 'inner cities' ... they consist of hardworking people who live and love and want the best for themselves, their families and their communities, just like the rest of non-urban America. Urban cities are no less communities of choice than suburban or rural ones ... and they are no inherently better or worse than any other community in America.
Hats off to Buck and Mike from the story, who did the housing equivalent of a firefighter's signature move: they rushed in while everyone else was scrambling to get out. There are indeed heroes in our midst, folks ...
My song for that? Like the old Luther song says, 'Little Miracles Happen Everyday.'
ENJOY!
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