Gentrification in East Austin & the Smart Growth Initiative--Ana Ross and Madeleine Sullivan
The Smart Growth Initiative that emerged in Austin around 1999 appeared as a good idea as its focus was to direct growth in such a way that minimized damage to the environment, but in practice it ended up harming low income and marginalized communities in East Austin.
Gentrification is clearly an issue in Austin, but we never would have thought to look at the impact that the Smart Growth Initiative, an environmentally focused movement, actually had on the city and its people until we spoke with Susana Almanza. Almanza is the director of People Organized in Defense of the Earth and her Resources, or PODER for short, an environmental justice organization in East Austin.
Gentrification is clearly an issue in Austin, but we never would have thought to look at the impact that the Smart Growth Initiative, an environmentally focused movement, actually had on the city and its people until we spoke with Susana Almanza. Almanza is the director of People Organized in Defense of the Earth and her Resources, or PODER for short, an environmental justice organization in East Austin.
History of East Austin
East Austin has historically been made up of majority low income residents and people of color. This dates back to the 1928 Master Plan, which explicitly established the east side as the district for Black Austinites. A large Mexican American community soon established themselves nearby, and West Austin remained almost exclusively white. Even worse, a 1931 zoning plan relegated all industrial and unrestricted uses to East Austin. For the decades that followed, the minority populations residing there suffered a slew of health issues from the toxic facilities near their homes.
PODER’s Work in Austin
PODER has a long history of inspiring community action to force out toxic facilities in East Austin. From 1991 to 1993, PODER worked to close down a 52 acre toxic tank farm run by 6 oil giants that were emitting benzene and other known carcinogens in East Austin neighborhoods. PODER was also responsible for the relocation of the city contracted BFI recycling facility. This facility created a mini landfill that led to an infestation of rats in the neighborhood and PODER was able to get the facility relocated in 1996 after two years of battling the city.
The Smart Growth Initiative
The Smart Growth Initiative, which was an anti-sprawl movement that became popular around the United States in 1999, was adopted to modernize Austin's long-range plan for growth. The anti-sprawl movement believes that suburbanization has resulted in an exorbitant amount of automobile use and highway construction, and instead advocates for public transit and walking as alternatives. The issue with this movement, however, was that it ignored areas where people of color lived and viewed places such as East Austin as vacant land.
“The big problem was that they viewed East Austin as if it was vacant land… so wherever people of color lived on the map they made it seem like it was vacant and people of color were not at the table” -Susana Almanza, PODER
Another issue was that hazardous facilities were still being placed in the remaining low income neighborhoods.
East Austin has historically been made up of majority low income residents and people of color. This dates back to the 1928 Master Plan, which explicitly established the east side as the district for Black Austinites. A large Mexican American community soon established themselves nearby, and West Austin remained almost exclusively white. Even worse, a 1931 zoning plan relegated all industrial and unrestricted uses to East Austin. For the decades that followed, the minority populations residing there suffered a slew of health issues from the toxic facilities near their homes.
PODER’s Work in Austin
PODER has a long history of inspiring community action to force out toxic facilities in East Austin. From 1991 to 1993, PODER worked to close down a 52 acre toxic tank farm run by 6 oil giants that were emitting benzene and other known carcinogens in East Austin neighborhoods. PODER was also responsible for the relocation of the city contracted BFI recycling facility. This facility created a mini landfill that led to an infestation of rats in the neighborhood and PODER was able to get the facility relocated in 1996 after two years of battling the city.
The Smart Growth Initiative
The Smart Growth Initiative, which was an anti-sprawl movement that became popular around the United States in 1999, was adopted to modernize Austin's long-range plan for growth. The anti-sprawl movement believes that suburbanization has resulted in an exorbitant amount of automobile use and highway construction, and instead advocates for public transit and walking as alternatives. The issue with this movement, however, was that it ignored areas where people of color lived and viewed places such as East Austin as vacant land.
“The big problem was that they viewed East Austin as if it was vacant land… so wherever people of color lived on the map they made it seem like it was vacant and people of color were not at the table” -Susana Almanza, PODER
Another issue was that hazardous facilities were still being placed in the remaining low income neighborhoods.
The above map shows that if you are going to bring anything that uses any kind of chemical that could be hazardous it still would be in East Austin.
Solutions to Gentrification and Community Response to Smart Growth:
Residents of East Austin were outraged by the Smart Growth movement, resulting in protests and a push for the city council to change their urban development policies.
Following this pressure, the city commissioned a number of studies on gentrification and displacement to recommend next steps. Unfortunately, not much change has come from the abundance of studies the city has commissioned that have all offered recommendations to the city. The recommendations have been clear and consistent: the city should use the thousands of properties it already owns to create low-income housing, but the city of Austin hasn't done this since 1930.
What can we do?
The East Austin community is in need of allies–spread awareness of their fight, vote in local and state elections, demand the attention of your city council representatives, and support organizations working to fight this cause such as PODER. There’s strength in numbers in the fight against gentrification, so make sure that your voice is heard.
Solutions to Gentrification and Community Response to Smart Growth:
Residents of East Austin were outraged by the Smart Growth movement, resulting in protests and a push for the city council to change their urban development policies.
Following this pressure, the city commissioned a number of studies on gentrification and displacement to recommend next steps. Unfortunately, not much change has come from the abundance of studies the city has commissioned that have all offered recommendations to the city. The recommendations have been clear and consistent: the city should use the thousands of properties it already owns to create low-income housing, but the city of Austin hasn't done this since 1930.
What can we do?
The East Austin community is in need of allies–spread awareness of their fight, vote in local and state elections, demand the attention of your city council representatives, and support organizations working to fight this cause such as PODER. There’s strength in numbers in the fight against gentrification, so make sure that your voice is heard.