LaShelle Rollins’ rental house in West Baltimore is wedged between a line of derelict properties valued only by street gangs, drug addicts and firefighters conducting arson drills. And even though her family’s $700-a-month address sits across from a public school, they are among the only occupants of this desolate block.
Life in an emptied-out, rundown cityscape is a slog and Rollins is worn out by all of it: The sounds of late-night interlopers stomping down the stairs of a musty wreck next door; a constant fear of fire set by vandals; the social isolation; the rats. With no faith in a prompt police response, they keep a bat at the ready.
“It’s like we’re a forgotten population,” said Rollins, a Baltimore native who’s studying for a community college degree that she hopes will get her family out of this gloomy neighborhood — maybe even out of the city that part of her still loves.
The African-American woman with a bright-eyed 6-year-old daughter and a husband on disability isn’t the only one with leaving on her mind. At a time when rival cities are gaining population, Baltimore’s decades-long disappearing act is only continuing.
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Another Detroit , a city of the hood rats we support.
ReplyDeleteBaltimore politicians are corrupt. Low income housing is not the answer. Baltimore needs a permanent industry to bring back the white flight. Amazon could have solved that problem but it would have it a dent in their profits so they move to a more wealthy neighborhood in MD. I hear of two Baltimore's. One where the restaurants and hotels are so expensive that very few middle class can afford. Then the other where it looks like a war zone. What gives?
ReplyDeletethey are all moving to salisbury! the new maryland ghetto!
ReplyDeleteBaltimore is a sh t hole . It has been run by democrats for 70 years. Black democrats for the last 30 and it is like entering a 3rd world african nation
ReplyDeleteAnd they keep voting Democrat and then they scratch their head and ask why are things like this?
ReplyDeleteThe horror is that they will move some place else and keep voting Democrat
10:42,spot on just look at the Democrats who won the house their priorities are to impeach Trump,open borders,take back the tax cuts,put environmental regulations back.Does that sound like their working for the people and who does that benefit?
ReplyDeleteStop relying on someone else to help you. Freedom your free to move,educate your self, get a better job. It's up to you and only you.
ReplyDelete11:59 I keep trying but the white man keeps holdin me down!
ReplyDelete