Exodus In The Making ?
For the last 10 years, FuelMix has been observing Fagland in World Class City and telling fags that their days there were numbered. The changing urban landscape and the demographics of Fagland would eventually result in Fagland being watered down to become more mainstream, or worse, fags and Fagland would eventually have to relocate away from the downtown core.
Needless to say, FuelMix received considerable abuse for having the temerity to make such comments and was repeatedly accused of being homophobic.
Last night, the local news on World Class City TV, reported on the apparent “plight” of residents in Fagland: creeping urban re-development, yuppification, and swankier high-rises were resulting in rent increases of 100% or more in the older buildings. Fags and others were squealing in pain.
To those unfamiliar with the demographics of World Class City’s Fagland, it consists of 4 distinct economic groups – none of which have any real purchasing power: fags, foreign language students, the elderly living on pensions and recent Eastern European immigrants, most of whom came in as refugees.
Many of the existing high-rises are 40 years old and owned by absentee landlords. The location may be fabulous, but the buildings aren’t, even though some have been tarted up. The landlords are no fools. They’ve been watching the buoyant real estate market downtown and are imposing massive rent increases or, selling out to developers.
Either way, it’s the fags and the rest of the demographics who will lose. Many fags are sharing with roommates, hold 2 jobs at clerical or retail level, blow their cash on drink and drugs and constantly shift accommodation within Fagland looking for a better deal.
They may finally have to shift out.
© 2006 Fuel Mix All Rights Reserved
Needless to say, FuelMix received considerable abuse for having the temerity to make such comments and was repeatedly accused of being homophobic.
Last night, the local news on World Class City TV, reported on the apparent “plight” of residents in Fagland: creeping urban re-development, yuppification, and swankier high-rises were resulting in rent increases of 100% or more in the older buildings. Fags and others were squealing in pain.
To those unfamiliar with the demographics of World Class City’s Fagland, it consists of 4 distinct economic groups – none of which have any real purchasing power: fags, foreign language students, the elderly living on pensions and recent Eastern European immigrants, most of whom came in as refugees.
Many of the existing high-rises are 40 years old and owned by absentee landlords. The location may be fabulous, but the buildings aren’t, even though some have been tarted up. The landlords are no fools. They’ve been watching the buoyant real estate market downtown and are imposing massive rent increases or, selling out to developers.
Either way, it’s the fags and the rest of the demographics who will lose. Many fags are sharing with roommates, hold 2 jobs at clerical or retail level, blow their cash on drink and drugs and constantly shift accommodation within Fagland looking for a better deal.
They may finally have to shift out.
© 2006 Fuel Mix All Rights Reserved
I love your writing but just had to comment that this would affect the straight folk that also reside downtown. its not always about being gay.
ReplyDeleteit would take a long time and a long effort for this to be done, and people still seem to be making do alright in places like Manhattan as an example.
plus if you ask me, that real estate balloon is slowly bursting and those now with the condos are feeling the pinch and are not as social as they would like to think they could be simply because they bought a condo downtown. you should look into how many condo buildings have had their storage rooms and cars broken into, and usually its been from inside jobs.
its called being mortgage poor.
people of all backgrounds shouldn't be generalized because of an assumption of what they do for a living either gay or straight.
I am gay but I chose to live in the westend out of convenience, certainly not the lifestyle.