Veronica Hemphill-Nichols Discusses Fruit Belt Parking & Buffalo Gentrification

Downtown residents of Buffalo are feeling pushed-out more and more over the past few years, and most of this has to do with an initiative launched years ago that has little or nothing to do with them, but affects where they currently live and the future of Buffalo, NY.

What is taking place stands to be part of Buffalo's version of Gentrification called UB 2020 that is eating away at the rights of the immediate black community affecting it-also known as the Fruit Belt-and the latest issue regarding it is the practice of suburban employees who work downtown taking parking spaces in front of homes of residents. A bill that would create a parking permit system is currently having trouble going through.

Chris will once again interview Veronica Nichols who has been fighting for the residents of the Fruit Belt (where she resides) and nearby McCarley Gardens for the past several years.

According to a report by WGRZ TV: "The proposal would allow a program to be established along the most heavily impacted streets, including sections of Maple, Mulberry, Locust, Carlton and High streets. Residents would be issued permits to park and 20 percent of the spaces would still be available for non-residential parking.

Two On Your Side has obtained a document showing that CSEA does not support a permit program because employees have limited places to park.

Currently, 3,100 employees work at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and only 1,600 spaces are available. In the next five years, 17,000 people are expected to work at the medical campus."