When I was a teenager in the mid-90’s I worked with my grandfather renovating his investment properties at the Jersey Shore #WildWood. In that time I learned how to work with my hands as well as with my mind. The greatest lesson he ever taught me was how he explained the migration patterns of people and wealth. White flight and the commercialization of the suburbs is what killed cities and industrial centers in the 60’s & 70’s but the houses in the Burbs were made of sticks and the life span of the homes would be about 30 years before they became dilapidated. Where as the homes in the cities were made of stone which would stand forever and once the life span of the suburban homes ended there would be a re-urbanization of city centers.

Growing up in suburban Philadelphia I always thought of “the city” as exciting but dangerous. Now as an adult its a fucking joke. There are still “undesirable neighborhoods” (which is obviously code speak for black neighborhoods) but by in large it is a pretty safe place and in my travels this trend is pretty consistent with cities all across America. I mean neighborhoods where one could buy 10 dollars worth of crack are now home to 10 dollar cups of coffee. My question is what is the greater why? As in why the shift? It cant just be due to the quality of the homes that stood before. My theory is its not the quality of the home but the creativity of the people has changed. I feel that all city people are the same and certain cities draw a certain kind of resident just like how neighborhoods tend to have a certain type of feel. Case in point New York/ San Francisco are financial Hubs, LA/Nashville artists, Detroit/Philadelphia are rougher neighborhoods but people have a certain sense of pride when they call that home. No matter what certain cities will always attract a certain kind of person but what makes places hip are the people who work AND live there. Those are the ones who give that neighborhood or city a soul and when those people are priced out that edge or art finds a new place to call home.

My new home is San Diego and to use it as an example North Park, Normal Heights and Logon Barrio use to be ghetto as fuck but cheap to live in. They also had an established culture of their own which attracted poor artists. Now those neighborhoods are ultra chic and values have double or tripled. I know because I bought before the boom #RWR. The reason why is because artist are generally poor so they end up living in a shitty part of town but they are what gives that neighborhood the desirability. They don’t have money so they use their creativity to make there home desirable #Murals. The boom of hip-hop and turn-tablism is directly linked to the cutting of music programs to inner-city schools a concerning fashion thats due to people not have money to by gucci so they become their own designer label at a thrift shop. Its the People that breath life into what would otherwise be just a cultural wasteland… but wait here comes the Yupsters people who basically pay to live within the culture put don’t add to it. I don’t hate them I actually understand their presence they work a 9-5 to support a family and have an appreciation for art. They want to share that love and appreciation with their children but if they don’t contribute to the culture all they do is raise the rent prices. When I first moved to my neighborhood there was literally drug deals and prostitution 2 blocks south of my home… Now I have to travel at least a mile to enjoy the same vices thanks to these yupster phuk’s.

Now many cities are worried about the out pricing of their cities working class and the loss of culture. They rightfully should be because what created the Florence/Harlem Renaissance or the Seattle Grunge scene was not the geographical location itself  but the people who lived there and their ability to freely create art. The neighborhood will change and cities will constantly evolve and recreate themselves. The loss of one cultural center will only lead to the birth of a new one. Just remember you use to get a blowjob and Coke in Time Square now the best you can get is a handy from Mickey Mouse.