“Don’t Sell Your House”

“Don’t sell you house”, is what Mayor Keisha Bottoms urged residents still living in Atlanta’s west side neigborhoods. These historic districts are now considered a hot spot  for hungry developers, and some of Atlanta’s longtime residents are being put under extrememly intense pressure to sell.  Mayor Bottoms went on a local media tour urging residents to fight against gentrification, and to avoid selling their homes.

As a resident of Charleston, S.C. , i envy these residents for having such a caring Mayor; a mayor willing to educate her constituents about the potential value of their property, and the sneaky, under-handed  tactics real estate dealers make to convince older, less knowledgeable residents to sell their properties. Imagine if hundreds of black families in Charleston, S.C. and surrounding counties had a Mayor like Keisha Bottoms.  Imagine if had a mayor who took the time and educated residents about the plans that were going on in our city ten to twenty years ago.  Imagine if we had mayors that cared more about residents, instead of Mayors who have all decided to open real estate companies of their own due to the lowcouty’s booming real estate market.  All Charleston residents can do is imagine; digress.

In September, Mayor Bottoms visited two local radio stations in Atlanta to help spread the message.  In one interview, Mayor Bottoms stated, “If your mother, or your grandmother owns a house in the west side of town, do not sell it! Don’t sell your house!”

So why is there such an urgency for the Mayor to warn Atlanta residents about selling their property, some of which have been in these families for generations? It’s because of what is currently happening in the A-T-L.  Just when you thought Atlanta couldn’t possibly grow any larger, right?  Not true at all, right now on perimeter of Atlanta’s west side, they have built a billion dollar sports stadium, and as interest increases in real estate nearby the stadium, interest also increases for the modest, black neighborhoods that surround this area.

Many of the older residents in Atlanta’s west side have become completely fed up with annoying investors and real estate developers.  Some have described the offers investors are bringing as, “being robbed without a gun.”  Older residents complain about feeling confused, and not really knowing who to trust when it comes to concerns about their property.  Investors also have tried the old tactic of creating a false sense of urgency in order to convence homeowners to sell now.  Other investors have simply been bold, telling homeowners to name their price, knowing these residents are not knowledgeable about the potential value of these homes.

Mayor Bottoms deserves a huge shout out for educating and getting the word out about why residents should not sell their homes.  Too bad the residents in Charleston, S.C. didn’t have the same type of care given to them.  Kudos to her!

As if the Mayor of Atlanta hasn’t been busy enought protecting her constituents’ properties, she also recently signed a bill which would rename three of Atlanta’s confederate street names.  This lady is truly on fire!