I'm here to tell you that preservation is at it's core anti-capitalist. To be a preservationist is to recognize that our built environment has value and importance beyond the value a developer can extract from a property at any given point in time. I'm a proud preservationist.

Here's a case study: Casa Aztlan in Pilsen. A developer purchased the historic community space, whitewashed the historic mural, and turned the building into apartments. YIMBYs would look at the apartment units added and say: "this is a win for the community." Wrong.

The building's use as a community space mattered. The mural as a historical and cultural marker mattered. As a preservationist, I see Casa Aztlan's value beyond the monetary value sought by the developer. https://chicagoist.com/2017/06/20/pilsen_mourns_as_iconic_casa_aztlan.php

The community fought to preserve and restore the Casa Aztlan mural - and won! Preservation fights can often be important flashpoints of struggle where working people take on capital. https://news.wttw.com/2017/07/06/loss-iconic-pilsen-mural-sparks-outrage

Perhaps Casa Aztlan could have been redeveloped in a way that preserved the community use, preserved the mural, and added affordable units. But accomplishing that outcome would likely have required a more restrictive zoning at the outset, and government subsidy.

And in closing, here are some pictures of my communist aunt fighting for affordable housing and the preservation of the Casa Aztlan mural. Rest In Power Tía Magda. I love you and miss you.