The East Stuart Neighborhood is uniquely positioned in the City of Stuart.

It is the historic home of the African-American community. As such, it has a rich and storied past that should be remembered and cherished. But the past may be getting in the way of its future. Like many such neighborhoods throughout the United States, most people have refused to see and accept what has changed in the past half-century.

During legal and enforced racial segregation, African-Americans had no choice but to live, work, shop, and play within very confined geography. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, and business owners were the pillars that lived within these communities. No matter how much money, education, or business acumen you had, you were forced to live your life within the confines of that segregated world.

With the end of legal segregation, the need to live in racial isolation is no longer necessary. More and more, economic standing dictates what neighborhood one calls home. African-Americans can now shop and eat wherever they can afford. College-bound students can attend any higher learning institution, not just traditionally black universities.

However, racism has not disappeared…far from it. It rears its ugly head all too easily and often. Slavery, which is America’s original sin, is still a stain upon our collective souls. But that is a moral, ethical, and religious discussion, not an economic one.

The continued hope of a rebirth of African-American businesses in the East Stuart neighborhood is very unlikely under current conditions. Simply put, there are not enough current residents with enough income to support anything more than the few existing stores. The few times that new venues have opened, they have been under-capitalized and under-patronized. Revitalization will only occur when there is an increase of residents who have more income.

There are currently 62 vacant lots within the roughly one square mile of East Stuart. What is also true is that there are substantially more buildings that need repair. Under the direction of Manager Dyess, the City has tried to address that issue with a revamping of the zoning and building code to allow for more flexible development. Unfortunately, he has met with community and political opposition.

Those in the community that believe that change is bad or, conversely, that somehow the government is going to fund some imaginary rebirth are simply dreaming. The City of Stuart has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on infrastructure to allow the private sector to have the bones of redevelopment. With the proposed code changes, those in the private sector will be able to build a much more flexible product.

In order to be successful, a couple of other things must happen. One is that the Commission must stop pandering to a few and sacrificing the many. No matter what the good intentions are, setting a policy of isolation will only fail. Setting a policy of isolation will only accelerate the decline of East Stuart.

There is a place for low- to moderate-income housing. However, that doesn’t preclude more expensive-style construction. It would be a mistake to target building only for one economic class. If you are hoping for a renaissance of population and businesses, you need to have a more economically diverse neighborhood.

What no one should expect is for the neighborhood to remain exclusively African-American. Like other neighborhoods that began as ethnic enclaves, such as a Little Italy, Chinatown, or even Little Havana, over time other groups take up residence. East Stuart can be known for its African-American vibe. In fact, it can be an economic driver for new businesses and jobs. A restaurant, music, and art scene can be encouraged to enhance the African-American culture to the benefit of all.

Now is the time, with the new code, to build an exciting new future for East Stuart which honors the past but is created for a more wide-ranging future.