Anacostia residents like Anacostia just fine, thank you

The GGW folks recently put the spotlight on streetcar plans in historic Anacostia, highlighting various proposals and popular responses. They note that, even if the streetcars manage to avoid increasing congestion and populated regions, some folks just don't want new folks coming in:

While some residents support the project under certain alignments, others oppose the project entirely. In addition to traffic and parking concerns, there was a palpable sense at the meeting that the streetcar is an unnecessary expense and will only benefit new residents.
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Some residents articulated fears that the streetcar will bring wealthier, white residents to Anacostia, ultimately displacing folks currently living in the community. Others believe the streetcar will only serve riders from other parts of the District or commuters from Maryland. They have doubts that the streetcar will provide any new value to the existing community.

This line of reasoning leads to the conclusion that any projects that increase economic activity or attractiveness of Ward 8 are undesirable, because they risk attracting white people with money, who will destroy the way of life down there/"displace" current residents.

Now, as to the "white" part of the problem, which may just be speculation on the part of GGW, that attitude is indicative of a general complacency with the way of life in Ward 8. Often times, white is equated with wealthy, but it's important to remember that there is a sizable black middle class in DC, and they tend to comprise the population of people who complain at Ward 8 public forums. I've mentioned this before, but I suspect that black people east of the river enjoy their lives there more than white people suspect, and by letting the latter propagate those beliefs, the former can continue to enjoy their neighborhood without newcomers getting in the way and changing things up. Hence the loathing of a streetcar that would shuttle in capitol hill yuppies, and thereby let the secret out. Note that, among the black community clued into the benefits of live in Anacostia without the yuppie glitz, the middle class may already be competing for housing and displacing poorer residents, but you probably won't ever hear about it. This is all speculation, and not to say that those attitudes are unreasonable or, rather, unnatural.

As far as displacement goes, that might be a real concern. In the end, if you want to help people, you need to help people, not just their environs. In theory, most benefits of neighborhood improvements will be captured in housing prices, so the improvement is just a transfer to the homeowner (who may be a landlord).  Of course, the proximity of historic Anacostia to downtown makes it intrinsically valuable. On the one hand, one might argue it is the duty of the city to make the best use of that value, and if people have to move because of priciness, so be it. On the other hand, one might suppose that whatever development is going to happen is going to happen due to that value, and streetcar planning should factor in the preferences of future as well as current residents. On the third hand, if you really think your obligation is to current, low-income residents, then the best thing you can do is sabotage any sort of economic development, since, after-all, low-income people simply can't afford nice things or rent in nice neighborhoods. At least let them live in squalor in a culturally rich, centrally-located neighborhood close to jobs, as opposed to diaspora in the slum-burbs. But any city official is going to have to choose one of those lines to tow.