Why does it seems like for a city to grow, it has to destroy itself in the process? Over the last several years that I’ve lived here, I’ve read articles about small business owners having to go out of business because of the spike in taxes they owe, developers buying their land or the building they’re in and giving them the pink slip or some other negative turn of events that benefits one party and not the current party.

Even in Anacostia where they development may not have reached the same proportions as the Baseball District, NoMA or H Street (yet), Evangeline “Mama” Cole-Thompson needs help now for her local neighborhood restaurant. She not only has been serving food to the locals, but she has given away a lot of free food reqarding the children for their grades, helping the elderly on fixed budgets, giving away scarves and gloves for the needy.

Her husband recently suffered a stroke and the bills have been a struggle to keep up with. And now her landlord is pressing the issue of get it together or be out. Thank you but no thank you.