Thanks to Mayor Griffin for being a strong advocate for not only South Buffalo but for the entire city. We’ll miss you and God Bless
WHAT HAPPPENED TO SOUTH BUFFALO?
There isn’t just one answer to that question and there’s not a silver bullet solution either. I’ll try and give our view of what’s wrong and what’s needed.
First, it’s a regional problem. Without writing a thesis on the ills of Buffalo this is a summary of our problems: Job loss, High taxes, Cold weather, Old-Time politics, Sprawl, Bureaucracy, Lack of coordination between agencies, Abundance of old housing stock, Too many competing municipalities, Too many competing Not-For-Profits and an Out-dated work force.
As you can see we have quite a mountain to climb. There’s no quick fix to these problems, it’s going to take hard work, sacrifice, collaboration and the guidance of visionary leadership to bring brighter days back to Buffalo.
In the case of South Buffalo specifically, we must find solutions to the problems of double housing, poverty, detachment from the community, education, and safety. For too long, the focus for South Buffalo’s leaders has been the improvement of infrastructure but what’s the point if you don’t have a community base willing to care for these structures? We can get the nicest light posts in the world but if it becomes a target for Graffiti artists what value has been added to the community? If you repave the sidewalks in front of empty buildings, who’s going to shovel the snow? How can local businesses compete with suburban malls and super-stores such as Wal-Mart? Answer; Meet the needs of the local consumers. What if local consumers are poor? Hello, furniture rental and dollar stores.
To revitalize South Buffalo, we must focus on people instead of infrastructure. Empower, Educate and Unify the people. It’s not an instant solution but the positive effects on the community would outlast any physical improvements made at this point.
WHAT ARE WE!?
Although the problems South Buffalo faces today are a direct result of poverty and its rapid influx into our neighborhood, I want to recognize the dilemma of community connection as another cause in the decline of this area.
As we transition from a middle-class singularly ethnic neighborhood to a lower income ethnically diverse neighborhood, we can see the cost these changes have had on community life. This is not to say ethnic diversity is a bad thing but rather recognizing it as a “game-changer” in an area that once so identified with a specific culture. The dynamic has changed and those who once felt an undeniable connection to the area are leaving because they don’t feel it’s “theirs” anymore. I don’t want this to be misinterpreted as blaming race for community disintegration but in the case of South Buffalo the change in demographic has certainly been a factor in the loss of community identity. Which leads me to my point, If we’re not the “Irish” neighborhood and we’re not the “Catholic” neighborhood, What are we? And how do we bring people together again?
