Straining in the Stadium's Shadow

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For Positive Nature Inc., Stadium Brings Uncertain Future

Positive Nature Inc. is a non-profit organization created to help at-risk youth in the Washington DC area. Since the new baseball stadium was officially announced, Positive Nature Inc. has struggled to pay its rising property taxes and may soon be forced to close its doors.

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The streets near the stadium are awash with activity: hammers thudding, big trucks rolling, workers yelling and forklifts beeping as they back up. Older businesses, several of which involve auto mechanic and body work, are paying the costs of change. Owners say that nobody cares whether they vanish, because they count their profits in the thousands of dollars, and the newcomers count theirs in millions.

Imran Butt, owner of Empire Cab Association, said he pays about $1,000 a month for electricity and property taxes.

Andy Lee, who owns two buildings at First and L streets, said taxes are killing his business, the Market Deli. One building's taxes have risen from $1,500 to $22,000. His total tax bill is $50,000.

"I work 13, 14 hours a day, and I'm making D.C. government happy," Lee said, as customers streamed in for sandwiches and chicken wings. "Businesses can't stay anymore."

The folks at Positive Nature understand. The program's co-founders have laid off employees (some have remained as volunteers), taken out personal loans and started a fundraising campaign. And they have approached D.C. Council members with the idea to create a tax exemption that would forgive the taxes on the property.

But there's no assurance that the agency can keep its doors open after this month.

The families who depend on Positive Nature question the city's priorities. In seven years at Positive Nature, Nichelle Payne, 16, has learned to control her temper. She used to get into fistfights, even with her mother. Now, Nichelle shows others who have emotional issues how to exercise control. Adults, she said, can be difficult to understand.

"They say they want to keep people off the streets, from killing each other," she said. "This is going to put more kids out on the streets. This is going to produce more killing."

Others associated with the program paint a stark picture.

Shannon Hall, a staff lawyer at the Children's Law Center in Washington, said Positive Nature helps prevent many foster children from being placed in a psychiatric institution or out-of-state facility. Some have problems so severe that if Positive Nature closes, they might be taken from their families and put into a hospital setting, she said.

"These children are fragile," said Hall, a former foster child.

Quintonio Ricks, 17, has battled sickle cell anemia and learning disabilities all his life. He got into trouble, stealing cars and staying away from home for days at a time.

"I'd probably be doing something real dumb if I didn't have this program," he said. "I wouldn't have had people to tell me negativity is not the way."

His mother, Barbara Brown, said the city needs more programs that steer children in a positive direction.

"If he can make it to 21, hallelujah," she said of her son. "We are losing our youth."

If Positive Nature must close, co-founder Bailey said, it will try to transition youths to other programs. In the meantime, the agency will hold fundraisers, including a "bucket drive" as the stadium opens this weekend.