They claim that a new luxury apartment building is going up without their input and that it threatens the future for residents who have been calling the area home for decades.
Protesters stood in front of the dispute on the 1400 block of Point Breeze Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, demanding answers.
“These have been thriving black businesses for years. We want black economic development, not luxury apartments for most of the community unaffordable,” said Connie Walker, an organizer of Black Point Breeze Matters.
Organizer Tiffany Green said: ‘The problem is that there was no community process, no voice, this is the new Jim Crow development. They put us in the back of the bus. ‘
Community members and business owners claim they had no say in the redevelopment.
While Action News did issue the developer and received no response, many protesters say most of the blame falls on their elected officials.
Councilor Kenyatta Johnson, who oversees the district, said the former grocery store is a privileged property.
“The individual bought the property, and they have the right to develop the property without going through the community process,” Johnson said.
Protesters are not buying it yet. They say if the city council had passed the neighborhood conservation bill, which they had been asking for since 2013, they would not be in the predicament it is now.
Those opposed to the new development said legislation would make their business historic property, and that neighbors would have the best say in what happens on the property.
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