A few people took offense at my referring to North Miami Beach as a ghetto.  So I decided to look up the actual definition of the word “ghetto” just to see if I was really off the mark.

According to dictionary.com, there are actually six definitions of the word, which can be used as both a noun and an adjective.

“Ghetto” the noun is defined as:

1. (formerly, in most European countries) a section of a city in which all Jews were required to live.
2. a section predominantly inhabited by Jews.
3. a section of a city, especially a thickly populated slum area, inhabited predominantly by members of an ethnic or other minority group, often as a result of social or economic restrictions, pressures, or hardships.
4. any mode of living, working, etc., that results from stereotyping or biased treatment: job ghettos for women; ghettos for the elderly

“Ghetto” the adjective is defined as:

5. pertaining to or characteristic of life in a ghetto or the people who live there: ghetto culture.
6. Often Disparaging and Offensive. noting something that is considered to be unrefined, low-class, cheap, or inferior: Her furniture is so ghetto!

It’s worthy to note that as a noun, definitions #1 through #4 don’t quite exactly fit the description of North Miami Beach.  For example, per definition #1, though there are some areas of the city that are primarily inhabited by one ethnic group or another, for the most part we don’t have a “section of the city” that could be described as “a thickly populated slum area.”  While certain neighborhoods do have more upscale properties and its residents are considered to be “wealthy,” the vast majority of residents live in modest homes and are considered to be “middle class.”  Definition #1 of “ghetto” certainly doesn’t apply.

Obviously since Jews aren’t “required to live” anywhere at all, definition #2 does not apply, either.

Interestingly, the area frequently referred to as “Tenth Avenue” is “a section predominantly inhabited by Jews,” and by definition #3 it could qualify as being a “ghetto.”  But, that isn’t exactly what I meant, either.

Definition #4 does not apply.

While definition #5 is a stretch, “ghetto” used as an adjective per definition #6 is probably the most accurate description.  Instead of saying that I live in a ghetto, I should have said, “North Miami Beach is so ghetto!”

North Miami Beach is made up of a hodgepodge of structures, some architecturally aesthetic, some not so much.  Take my area of Sunray West, for instance.  This neighborhood was built in the late 1950s for returning veterans from the Korean War.  Affordable two bedroom, one bath homes were perfect for newly married couples hoping to start their families.  Hence, Sunrays were called “starter homes.”  Of course, once the couple had more than one or two children and moved up the corporate ladder, their intent was to eventually sell and move to a larger house, hopefully in a more affluent neighborhood.  Over the years, owners of Sunray homes added extra bedrooms and baths to accommodate more kids, and many stayed put long after the nest was empty.  While still modest, the majority of homes in Sunray, and especially east of NE 19th Avenue (known as Sunray East) have been well maintained, and many have been upgraded substantially.  The majority of homeowners here take pride in their homes and keep them up to code.

However, on almost every street there are homes that have either been abandoned or are in such disrepair that regardless of how well maintained the other houses are, those blighted properties cheapen, or ghetto-ize (see definition #6 above), the rest of the block.

On the corner of my block, for example, directly across the street from Greynolds Park Elementary School, a house was so severely damaged in a fire more than a year ago that the owner moved out and never returned.  The burned out house still sits there like an eyesore, and is home to a colony of cats who are free to roam in and out the windowless structure.  Since the home is uninhabitable, I assume it’s unsafe.  I’m surprised it hasn’t attracted any squatters as yet, and I believe it’s only a matter of time before some curious soul wanders inside and gets hurt.

It doesn’t matter how much work and energy the owners of all the other homes on the block put into their properties, this one house on the corner ruins the street for the rest of us.

If North Miami Beach had an effective Code Enforcement Department, that house would have been condemned and torn down months or even a year ago.  But even if citations have been issued, which I doubt, what is being done by “THE AUTHORITIES” to actually rectify the problem?  To my knowledge, absolutely nothing.

Code Enforcement can slap “Notices of Violation” on the door of that house until the cows come home, but guess what?  NO ONE LIVES THERE!  An empty house is not gonna fix itself.

Welcome to my ghetto.

Oops!  Pardon me.  I didn’t mean to offend.  I should have said, “Stephanie’s Street is so ghetto!”

I’m sure I’m not the only resident in North Miami Beach who is experiencing similar problems.  On April 16, 2013, I published a column entitled NMB’s Insane Clown (of Code Compliance) Posse, highlighting the insanity of our building code and the incomprehensible methods by which it is enforced.  The absolutely beautiful home of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Sichak was issued a Notice of Violation because their front yard was so well maintained and upgraded that they had the audacity to extend their paved driveway a few feet to a side gate.  Meanwhile, the home next door to the Sichak’s had “the soffit and facia practically falling off, which is also in desperate need of a paint job.”  Why did Code Enforcement turn a blind eye to the neighbor’s apparent violations?  That was truly baffling to me.

A couple months earlier on February 7, 2013, I published Welcome to My Ghetto, in which I presented a portfolio of ten homes in North Miami Beach that are sorely in need of Code Enforcement.  How much does anyone wanna bet those properties have not been fixed up yet?  Don’t bother.  I’m sure they’re still “so ghetto!”

I find it noteworthy that the few individuals who complained about my referring to North Miami Beach as a “ghetto” happen to live in some of the nicer sections of town.  They apparently haven’t driven down my street lately, or any number of the other areas in the city where no Code Enforcement Officer dares to tread.

Of course, these are the some of the same people who think development is a bad thing.  I’m not one of them.  For at least a decade now, I’ve been pushing for new development and redevelopment.  I also am not one of those people who have a fear of highrises.  I know, I know.  I’m a horrible person for admitting that!  Just smack me now.

I truly do understand that some residents are nostalgic for the days when North Miami Beach was a sleepy little bedroom community.  Yes, those 1950s sure were great.  (After all, you got me and a ’57 Chevy in the same year!)  But, those days are gone and we are no longer Mayberry, USA.  Like me, our homes aren’t getting any younger, either.  If homeowners who don’t maintain their properties aren’t cited and forced to keep up to code, North Miami Beach will become more and more “so ghetto!” by the minute.

So, before you criticize me for calling NMB a “ghetto,” you should walk a mile in my shoes.

Or rather, just drive down my street.

Meanwhile, I’m so sorry if my “ghetto” comments offend you.

Okay, not really.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”