Help Jayvan (HIS HOUSE SOLD)
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Update: Jayvan's house got sold to an investor from out of town. We managed to pull together 7 grand, but it was too little too late. Jayvan has a great attitude, considering the circumstances. He's hoping to find another house to buy in the neighborhood that he has called home for 30 years. We can still help!
The following is the original posting from when we were still trying to help Jayvan buy the house he currently lives in. He's been given a year to move out.
Like many American cities, Pittsburgh is in the midst of a development boom. This can be seen in the new luxury apartments, the public schools and churches repurposed for lofts, the fevered pitch of home renovations, and a new influx of young affluent residents. This renewed investment in the inner city is causing a sharp speculateive rise in property values. This has lead to house flipping and the increased rent that accompanies it. Pittsburgh's historically industrial aesthetic and blue collar identity is being commodified, changing many neighborhoods in ways that don’t include the actual residents that created it.
One of those neighborhoods is Garfield, a historically working class neighborhood on a southfacing hillside in the heart of Pittsburgh. Beautiful views, and a central location make Garfield a very desireable place to live. Over the last several decades Garfield has been in a state of divestment, beginning with the white flight of the mid 20th century. City government contributed to this divestment, neglecting infrastructure, deteriorating housing stock, and subsidized programming, creating market conditions that today allow people to purchase valuable property at a competitive price. As a result, and in tandem with Pittsburgh's recent boom, property values have now stabilized and are beginning to rise. Homeowners are faced with higher taxes, and long term renters are being priced out or forced out of their houses when the landlord decides to sell to the highest bidder.
One of these people is Jayvan Tarver . Jayvan has lived in his home in the community of Garfield for almost 30 years. He raised his kids there, he is 63 years old, and he has had some health problems over the last few years. Jayvan had a verbal agreement with his landlord that he would be able to purchase his home for the price of $25,000 and maybe on a rent-to-own basis. The landlord said that they would speak later about that. Not many livable homes are going for that price these days. His landlord has since passed away, leaving the property to the next of kin, who has decided to sell the house without notifying Jayvan, nor honoring the original agreement. Jayvan came home one day to find a real estate sign on his porch. Upon calling, he discovered that house was selling for $50,000.
Jayvan is distraught and saddened by this and so are we, his neighbors. His medical expenses leave him unable to borrow enough money from a bank to purchase his home. He now faces the reality of having to relocate from the home that he has lived in for the last three decades, against his will and in the golden years of his life. We want Jayvan to remain our neighbor and we want to help this be possible. This gofundme page has been created to help Jayvan get the money to buy his home from his landlord. We would hope to secure this transaction by October 2017, 3 months prior to the end of his lease, giving him adequate time to find a new place and plan to move in case this doesnt pan out as we'd hoped.
Obviously Jayvan is not the only person in Garfield, or in Pittsburgh in this position. We hope that this can start a trend of fundraising and awareness around the housing crisis in Pittsburgh. It isn’t fair to displace people from their homes. The identity of this city lives in the people and families that have been here for generations. We must honor them. We must honor the places that they live. Let Jayvan be an example that we can resist the forces of the free market and gentrification and come together to help individuals who deserve to stay here if they choose.
The following is the original posting from when we were still trying to help Jayvan buy the house he currently lives in. He's been given a year to move out.
Like many American cities, Pittsburgh is in the midst of a development boom. This can be seen in the new luxury apartments, the public schools and churches repurposed for lofts, the fevered pitch of home renovations, and a new influx of young affluent residents. This renewed investment in the inner city is causing a sharp speculateive rise in property values. This has lead to house flipping and the increased rent that accompanies it. Pittsburgh's historically industrial aesthetic and blue collar identity is being commodified, changing many neighborhoods in ways that don’t include the actual residents that created it.
One of those neighborhoods is Garfield, a historically working class neighborhood on a southfacing hillside in the heart of Pittsburgh. Beautiful views, and a central location make Garfield a very desireable place to live. Over the last several decades Garfield has been in a state of divestment, beginning with the white flight of the mid 20th century. City government contributed to this divestment, neglecting infrastructure, deteriorating housing stock, and subsidized programming, creating market conditions that today allow people to purchase valuable property at a competitive price. As a result, and in tandem with Pittsburgh's recent boom, property values have now stabilized and are beginning to rise. Homeowners are faced with higher taxes, and long term renters are being priced out or forced out of their houses when the landlord decides to sell to the highest bidder.
One of these people is Jayvan Tarver . Jayvan has lived in his home in the community of Garfield for almost 30 years. He raised his kids there, he is 63 years old, and he has had some health problems over the last few years. Jayvan had a verbal agreement with his landlord that he would be able to purchase his home for the price of $25,000 and maybe on a rent-to-own basis. The landlord said that they would speak later about that. Not many livable homes are going for that price these days. His landlord has since passed away, leaving the property to the next of kin, who has decided to sell the house without notifying Jayvan, nor honoring the original agreement. Jayvan came home one day to find a real estate sign on his porch. Upon calling, he discovered that house was selling for $50,000.
Jayvan is distraught and saddened by this and so are we, his neighbors. His medical expenses leave him unable to borrow enough money from a bank to purchase his home. He now faces the reality of having to relocate from the home that he has lived in for the last three decades, against his will and in the golden years of his life. We want Jayvan to remain our neighbor and we want to help this be possible. This gofundme page has been created to help Jayvan get the money to buy his home from his landlord. We would hope to secure this transaction by October 2017, 3 months prior to the end of his lease, giving him adequate time to find a new place and plan to move in case this doesnt pan out as we'd hoped.
Obviously Jayvan is not the only person in Garfield, or in Pittsburgh in this position. We hope that this can start a trend of fundraising and awareness around the housing crisis in Pittsburgh. It isn’t fair to displace people from their homes. The identity of this city lives in the people and families that have been here for generations. We must honor them. We must honor the places that they live. Let Jayvan be an example that we can resist the forces of the free market and gentrification and come together to help individuals who deserve to stay here if they choose.
Organizer and beneficiary
Chris St. Pierre
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
Jayvan Tarver
Beneficiary
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