In an attempt to address the problem of urban decline, cities such as Baltimore in the United States and Liverpool in Britain have begun selling abandoned homes for just one dollar. But can this initiative achieve the desired success, and who are the winners and losers from this experience?
According to a report published by the British BBC, the roots of this initiative go back to the 1970s in Baltimore, United States, where abandoned homes were put up for sale for just one dollar under a program called “urban settlement.”
Judy Alexalza, one of the first to benefit from this program, bought an abandoned house in the Big Town area in 1976. Although the house was in poor condition at the time of purchase, she spent years restoring it with large sums of money, saying: “I was about to “Declaring personal bankruptcy, but after all, the house is all mine, and that’s all that matters.”
Baltimore experience and limited success
The program aimed to rehabilitate destroyed urban areas by enabling local residents to buy homes at nominal prices and then restore them. “We selected names from among the applicants and started engaging with them,” says Jay Brody, who was running the program at the time. “When the program ended, he was on the cover of American Express.”
Despite the program’s relative success at first, it was discontinued in 1988 after Brody left. However, earlier this year, Baltimore rolled out a similar new initiative called the Fixed Price Program, where residents can buy abandoned homes for $1 provided they have $90,000 to fund the renovation and commit to living in the home for 5 years. at least.
Applying the idea in Liverpool and other cities
In 2013, the British city of Liverpool adopted the idea, offering homes in the Webster Triangle area for sale for one pound. “There was a rat infestation, and I had a tree growing out of my window frame,” says Maxine Sharpless, one of the buyers. “It was very stressful and tiring, but it was worth it in the end.”
Despite all the difficulties she faced, Sharpless says: “The house has completely changed my life… I live in the house I dreamed of and I restored it myself.”
Criticisms and concerns
Despite the widespread spread of this model in other cities around the world, including Italy and Spain, there is criticism of this initiative, according to the BBC.
The BBC recalls that David Simon, creator of the famous television series “The Wire”, who was inspired by his experiences as a reporter in Baltimore, expressed doubts about the success of these programs in achieving social justice. Simon says: “Although the program restored a tax base to the city, it was not successful in spreading wealth. Any urban renewal program in the city has never been fair.”
Impact of initiatives
In Liverpool, Tony Mawsdale of the council’s housing department admits the program has helped improve the area, but has faced some challenges such as anti-social behavior and homes that have not yet been restored.
In Baltimore, David Leeds, director of the nonprofit Water Bottle Cooperative, is concerned about the impact of such programs on increasing rents and pushing low-income people out of areas. “People buying homes for $1 may cause areas to be gentrified, but that may also drive up rents and drive out low-income people,” Leeds says.
Despite these criticisms, Alice Kennedy, Baltimore’s housing commissioner, confirms that she is aware of the problems left by previous programs and seeks to avoid past mistakes. “A top priority for all of us is correcting the racist housing policies of the past and addressing socioeconomic segregation,” Kennedy says.
One-dollar home initiatives remain a way to draw attention to regenerating deteriorating urban areas, but they face significant challenges. Although it has succeeded in improving some areas, concerns about social justice and raising rents remain.
