I live in Shaw, the new gayborhood, and the old “slum historique.” There are numerous dilapidated vacant buildings in the neighborhood, all owned by the Shiloh Baptist Church. You’ve seen many of them (and the church) if you’ve ever walked from BeBar to Nellie’s.

Many people criticize Shiloh for not selling or developing these properties, and I agree they are an eyesore. While I have no love for Shiloh (they were behind the effort to keep BeBar out of the neighborhood), these buildings contribute heavily to the decreased life-span ghetto ambience that keeps my rent low, so praise Jesus.

To learn more about Shiloh’s effort to keep it real against the forces of gentrification, read this blog.