I was pleasantly surprised to learn that part of my testimony made the local radio and tv news the following day, in addition to being paraphrased here in the Virgin Islands Daily News. Here is some of the coverage from TV2. I'm in the background in this coverage. :)
I also need to add that my ticket to go to St. Thomas was paid for by the VI Territorial Realtors Association. They had written a grant to the National Realtors Association and gotten funding to do this advocacy work as a way to impact and change their community. Although I had planned on going over myself, when they heard I wanted to come, they offered to pay for my ticket. I am very grateful.
Testimony of La Vaughn Belle in regards to the
I would like to
offer the perspective of someone who is actually in the process of what we all
want: renovating historic buildings. I hope my testimony gives you more insight
as to why this bill is so important to pass, despite some of its shortcomings.
The status quo is not an option, our buildings are crumbling, being scavenged,
stripped or burnt or and the histories that come with them, forgotten.
My husband and I
are currently renovating two properties in Christiansted. The first property, 36 King St, is
located in Sunday Market Square, otherwise known as Times Square. It has two
two-story buildings that consist of four residential units and one commercial
space. The residential space was last used as a nightclub and the residential
spaces were converted into a brothel. We are about 50% completed with the
renovation. We did most of the work ourselves or with friends, including our
dearest ones: Visa, Mastercard and American Express. It has not been easy. I looked for grants and could
not find any that we qualified for, including the famed “Scrape, Paint and
Rejuvenate Program” run through the St. Croix Foundation. The income limits are
too low and the grant eligibility required that the space be occupied. We are
exhausted, but happy that we have wonderful families living in two of the
apartments and have began renting the third one as a vacation rental. We are
currently looking for more financing to complete the project.
The other
property is really special as it speaks to the core of what is really at stake
in this discussion: our cultural patrimony. 18B East Street is located in the
Free Gut area of Christiansted. It
comprises of two small vernacular houses, one was burnt by crack addicts and
the other structure is partially wooden with a unique brick arches in the
foundation. Currently the area is
full of dilapidated and abandoned buildings, abandoned not just physically but
psychologically. They represent a part of our collective social amnesia of a
part of our history that we have chosen to forget. But why? Why did we forget
Elizabeth Abraham, who was the first registered owner of 18 East Street. She
was an African born woman, who was brought here to be a slave, she survived the
Middle Passage, survived slavery and was able to escape that system and become
one of the few privileged class of blacks in that time, the Freed Blacks. It is
amazing that she was able to purchase property and in my little decrepit
building, that many people told me I should just push down, resides dozens of
stories like Elizabeth’s. These buildings and these stories are so important.
They are our cultural heritage and we must honor them by remembering their
legacy of self-determination and by treating these buildings like the treasures
that they are.
I was so inspired
by the stories of the previous owners of my building that it motivated me to do
a documentary about them, the larger Free Gut community and the process of bringing
this building back to life. I hope that you might also be inspired to act and
move this bill forward. We need to hold our community accountable. We need this
impetus for change to move from a culture of decay and abandonment to one of
development and dignity.
Further points
that this bill speaks to that are key:
- We need money in the form of grants or low- interest loans to renovate buildings.
- We need education, both the owners and the general public, but especially contractors and construction workers. It is a constant battle with contractors who want to use modern materials and techniques that would destroy the character of the building simply because they do not know any better. I suggest a class at CTECH for carpenters and contractors on the historic guidelines and how to build the shutter, windows, etc.. to keep in line with them.
- We do need the penalties to ensure that everyone is held accountable. It is not fair that some are investing their hard earned money to rehabilitate or maintain their properties and their neighbors are allowed to let garbage accumulate, grass overgrow or let vagrants or addicts take over their neglected property.
- We need incentives. The tax incentives are excellent, however they should reflect the reality of maintaining historic structures. This is expensive! Especially if they are partially wood, which most of them are. Wooden structures are more expensive because of the upkeep and the insurance and the tax incentives should better reflect these costs. Perhaps even subsidies could be introduced.
Finally, we need action. We need
you, our legislators to support this bill and create this catalyst for change.
We need you to remember Elizabeth Gabriel, and the other men and women like her
that first occupied these spaces, that worked hard to purchase and build these
first homes. As the title of my documentary emphasizes, these are the houses
that freedom built. Please act now to honor and celebrate them.
La Vaughn Belle
Christiansted rehabber
Documentary filmmaker
studio@lavaughnbelle.com
