In the wake of the Double 8 Grocery and Chase Bank closings, Black community leaders have set aside their differences (for now) and are trying to forge some short-term solutions. They also realize longer term solutions to generate economic development in Indianapolis’ troubled neighborhoods will be difficult.
I was surprised, pleasantly, by Republican mayoral candidate Chuck Brewer’s idea for dealing with the grocery/food desert crisis.
Brewer would adapt a former Mayor Steve Goldsmith idea to deal with and help lure quality grocery stores to majority-Black neighborhoods.
Modeled after Goldsmith’s Professional Sports Development District used to build the Fieldhouse, Brewer’s plan would create Urban Grocery Development Areas to capture sales, property and income taxes from a designated area to provide dollars to entice a grocery chain to move in there.
There are problems with Brewer’s plan, specifically, are there enough tax dollars from existing businesses in these areas to generate enough revenue to really entice groceries to move in? Also, because the plan needs legislative approval, the Statehouse’s powerful lobbyists could turn Brewer’s plan into an ineffective mess.
But, the food desert and lack of development crisis is serious and to reject Brewer’s idea outright is sinful and irresponsible.
Now, risking my words getting included in a Brewer ad, his idea is worth taking a hard look at. Along with taking hard looks at great ideas on the crisis that’ll come from Democratic mayoral candidate Joe Hogsett; neighborhood and community leaders; even write-in mayoral candidate Sam Carson.
Brewer explained his plan in an interview on WTLC-AM (1310) “Afternoons with Amos.”
Seated next to him was Dr. Jerry Young, president of the National Baptist Convention USA, who was in town to honor Dr. Melvin Girton on his retirement from Christ Missionary Baptist Church.
During a break, Young commented on Brewer’s idea, saying it ignored the real issue – racism.
People knew Double 8’s stores weren’t the greatest groceries around. Yet other stores never came into the neighborhood to provide effective competition. Why?
In my 40 years in media here, I’ve been confronted by retailers and marketers with their “creative no’s.” Reasons they didn’t want to market to Blacks.
“They don’t have money.” “They don’t buy (fill in the name of the product).” “They steal.”
As we develop plans and ideas for bringing development into majority-Black neighborhoods, especially those with high poverty, we must confront those creative no’s and dig in to whether racism and bigotry, fear, or poor economics is why retailers steer clear of many of our neighborhoods.
Community leaders and the next mayor must confront the crime/theft issue. Many in the community believe Cub Foods grocery store failed in the Meadows because of theft.
So, let’s request from IMPD and public safety the data going back to Cub Food’s time to ascertain the truth. What are the incidents of store theft in Indianapolis Black-majority neighborhoods today?
Is theft and crime why major grocery stores moved away from 38th Street on the far east and west sides? Or from 71st and Michigan Road or Eagledale?
It can’t be because the Indianapolis/Marion County African-American community doesn’t generate dollars?
My column last week revealing the aggregate incomes of Blacks in the neighborhoods served by Double 8 gave you a hint of the heft of Blacks spending and buying power.
But here’s the concern.
Hispanics are one-third the size of Indianapolis’ Black community. Hispanic aggregate income in Indy is $1.636 billion; 40 percent of Blacks.
Yet, grocery stores catering to the grocery needs of Hispanics proliferate, while Double 8, which catered to Blacks’ needs, is gone. Why?
On this 21st Anniversary of “Just Tellin’ It,” I maintain there needs to be frank and blunt conversations between Black leaders and major retailers serving Indianapolis, asking hard questions why they won’t locate in our neighborhoods.
We should be prepared to hear the truth from those companies; not politically correct-isms.
Brewer, Hogsett and Carson (if he’s a serious candidate) should ask those companies the same hard questions.
Our African-American community can support quality stores offering good products and service at competitive prices. We need to know what’s really keeping that from happening!
What I’m Hearing
in the Streets
In a partial community victory, Chase Bank filed paperwork last July 28, with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, withdrawing plans to close their Meadows branch. But the Chase branch at 38th and Washington Boulevard closed two days later, ending 69 years of service to the mid-North neighborhoods.
Also we’re learning why Chase officials didn’t brief community leaders weeks ago about their plans to close branches in Black-majority neighborhoods.
According to leaders who met with Chase officials, it seems as if Chase first wanted to brief Mayor Greg Ballard before briefing others, but the mayor couldn’t see them till last week.
It’s absurd that the mayor of America’s eleventh largest city couldn’t find time to meet officials from the largest bank in this city, state and nation.
I must pause to pay tribute to one of our community’s lions, Cleo Barnett, who died July 20 at age 87. Barnett epitomized that the government serves people; not the other way around.
Cleo first worked with Mayor Dick Lugar in the Model Cities Program and neighborhood liaison. For Mayor Bill Hudnut, Barnett was the critical go-to person for residents to get things done in their neighborhoods.
A former Indianapolis Recorder Woman of the Year, Barnett was honored for Outstanding Service to the Republican Party in 1985.
Serving people, her family and her God was paramount. Barnett’s greatest legacy was that you can be political and still serve the people. A lesson we need to remember. My deepest sympathies to Barnett’s family.
This column begins its 22nd year next week; see ‘ya then!
You can email comment to Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.
