June 10th, 2007, 5:27 pm
‘Ghetto sun’ burns, Columbia Heights
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC, June 10, 2007
I leave the light on, sometimes. When there’s a mouse in the house, or a six-legged scurry.
I don’t actually think that the light keeps the vermin away, but it helps, when I wake with a start in the middle of the night - to be able to see, instantly - yes, I am alone.
So, night falls, and sun rises - ‘ghetto sun,’ as a visitor named it - on the corner of 14th St. NW and Girard.
It’s a large floodlight, powered by a portable generator, chained to the fence outside of the Girard park.
It doesn’t keep the gunshots away, but it helps, somewhat to see that there’s nothing there.
But it’s a false sense of security.
I knew Columbia Heights was gentrifying - the smell of crack and big box construction mingle in my mornings. I knew the neighborhood was transitional - that’s why I can afford to live there. But there’s something so disconcerting about realizing that it’s not just the region - it’s my street people are getting shot on.
Three Shot, One Killed, Columbia Heights
I walk out of my door in the mornings to find this - a massive press conference being set up by DC police chief Lanier to declare the DC summer crime initiative: mandatory 12-hour overtime shifts for officers.
I’m a transitional person; part of me is happiest barely engaging in whatever-my-physical-surroundings-happen-to-be, happy to spend hours in contemplation of arcane online journalism ethical scenarios, or in the creation of homemade cheese.
But then shots ring out, and I set up a Google Alert or two, and then context spoils contentment.
From WashingtonPost.com, a well-written article by Clarence Williams:
But for many residents such as Nancy Miranda, drug dealing and gunfire are the norm for Columbia Heights, particularly after dark, and D.C. police have not been doing enough to stop it. Drug dealers “pump” product on the 1400 block of Girard Street, where Miranda’s 15-year-old daughter Kaylah walks home after school. [...] “That block is hot as hell,” said Miranda, 33, a real estate consultant who grew up just a few blocks away, at 13th Street and Park Road. “There are crackheads around here everywhere at night, walking around like zombies.” [...] The shootings in the neighborhood stretch back months, even years, leaving many neighbors angry and afraid. In the past 60 days, nearly 50 violent crimes have pierced the Columbia Heights area with staccato regularity. Among them were two homicides and five assaults with guns. [...] Discomforting scenes reminiscent of the old days are common, residents say. Drug buyers cruise in cars with Maryland and Virginia license plates. People brazenly smoke marijuana on the sidewalk. Crack addicts light up in alleys. Residents say they are living in a danger zone. On the Thursday night before last week’s shootings, alarmed residents called police when 50 neighborhood toughs battled in a street brawl. It was the latest in what neighbors believe are squabbles between a Fairmont street group and another crew located a few blocks to the north.
Saturday night at around 7pm, nearly 15 squad cars were parked along 14th St. NW as I walked to Mayorga for some coffee and wifi.
I feel like a complete moron carrying my Powerbook in a backpack around the city - this machine is my life, I can’t lose it. It seems stupid to leave my house at night; foolhardy to get groceries after work, completely ridiculous to work late and come home later.
Politicians pin hopes on gentrification - the Starbucks, FedEx, Target, Best Buy and accompanying high-priced condos springing up around the Columbia Heights metro stop.
But gentrification didn’t come fast enough for Terry Cutchin; he’s now just a face on the flier on my car, a $50,000 reward.
The ghetto sun shines; burns throughout the night, and I hold my breath, sometimes, when I walk home.
June 10th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Unfortunately, the problem is labeled: Section 8.
There’s too many project based Section 8 housing that basically concentrates poverty.
KSI opened 200 new section eight dwellings on 14th street. The city itself is looking at Columbia Heights as if it were the last bastion of “affordable” housing.
What’s crazy is that these problems could be averted with simple 20% rule, whereby new developments have to set aside 20% for lower income families, thus creating housing without concentrating poverty into ghettos.
It is shameful that two kids and adult get shot in the same week, two drive-bys supposed in front of these expensive cameras that apparently have gotten anything.
Maybe they should point those camaras down the street to at least get a chance of capturing license plate numbers when an incident like this happens.
What good are they if all they capture is the carnage from a drive-by but no damn license plate number?
July 21st, 2007 at 5:09 am
As I was visiting my friend, who practically lives right next door to you, I too had to experience the results of gentrification in Columbia Heights. Left Sweden to spend new years in DC - which was great - only to have the scare of my life new years day.
Walking from the metro I saw a gang of teenage boys hanging around, play fighting & doing nothing. Did what I was told by many, casually crossed the street (at least 100 meters ahead of them) and continued walking up the street.
As I was level-sided with them, they crossed the street and walked up behind me. I remember thinking ’shit’ but I continued walking & so did they. There were no bloody people on the street that day (at 2.30pm), so I could do nothing but walk.
Started getting scared - if I started running, I might set them off. There was no way I could outrun 5-6 teenage boys in my high heels, and taking them on in a fist fight didn’t really seem like a good option. After perhaps 100 meters and several minutes, I decided to turn around and look at them. As I turned around I looked into the eyes of the front boy and was met by a stare, fixated on me. His body was slightly hunched forwards, his arms in the pockets of his grey-hooded jacket, and… just that stare freaked me out. He walked like he was ready to attack.
After seeing his eyes, I turned back and started praying. My heart was pumping like never before and I prayed to God for protection. Like an answer, a police car came racing down the street, probably heading elsewhere since the lights were on. Somehow I managed to get eye contact with the police officer who was driving. I didn’t want to overreact, just in case the police wouldn’t stop, so I carefully motioned with my thumb, pointing behind me, indicating there was something going on.
I probably looked shit-scared as my eyes were wide open so the police new something was up. I turned around after having eye contact with the officer and noticed how all the boys hunched down, hiding behind parked cars. I saw my chance and starting running towards the complex where my friend lived. Managed to get the door-card out, get in the front door and to the elevator. Having seen too many movies I decided to take the stairs - didn’t want to stand in the elevator only to see how they boys managed to get into the complex, and just in time getting a foot in the elevator door… bloody hollywood!
Anyhow. Ran into the apt, shaky and winded from running up all those stairs, and went straight out to the balcony. From the balcony I saw how the police officers frisked the boys and shortly thereafter, split them up and put them into two police cars and drove away. They arrested them all.
I have no idea what the boys were planning, but I know it was nothing good. I was lucky, I came home to Sweden in one piece. Many are not so lucky.
It’s pretty sad. Not to excuse the boys behaviour, they are old enough to make their own decisions, but somehow I can’t help but think they’re just a product of society. Sure, employ more officers and have them visible on the streets, it may have some impact. But really, isn’t this problem a bit deeper than that?
DC is the capital of the US, and yet there are so many families living in shit conditions and poverty there. With all the money US has, focusing on how to make life better for the have-nots should be a priority (and ratifying the convention on the Rights of the Child could be a start). It’s just sad that there are so many problems in a country with so many resources.
Priorities…
October 25th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
[...] are rarely murdered, and our trip wasn’t going to include any midnight trips down to Columbia Heights for an eightball. When I made those connections, the fear [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
that wazz my cousin that they killed and i miss lilt alot he was and thankful
December 7th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I lived on 14th and Clifton for a year with my roommate. Some nights we wouldn’t go outside because the neighborhood kids would be out hollering, breaking things, up to no good. I muttered “Where are these children’s parents” to myself more times than I can count. The sad thing is the parents don’t care at all. If they did, that dead, remorseless look in those kid’s eyes that is more frightening than anything wouldn’t be there.
I love aspects of city living, but Columbia Heights-hell DC in general has gotten very scary and I’m glad I got out when I did. I understand that gentrification is pushing some people out as property value goes up and I feel like some people are pushing back.