23 Aug Gentrification – Healing or Hurting

How much do you really know about gentrification? Is it really about healing low income communities or displacing them? How is gentrification connected to redlining?

Overview

According to the dictionary, gentrification is the process of renovating and improving a house or district so that it conforms to middle-class taste. It’s alleged there is access to better housing, more job opportunities, and a decrease in crime. Diversity is promoted due to higher income communities integrating with lower income communities.

In many instances, gentrification does more harm than good. Many residents are displaced due to lack of affordable housing and they’re forced to move to less desirable areas; which may include fewer social services and other resources. It promotes an environment that lacks diversity and increases poverty. Also, it disrupts social networks with family, friends, and community relationships with doctors, schools, etc.

Redlining

The connection gentrification and redlining share is very interesting. Let’s take a look! The Home Owner’s Loan Corporation created in 1933 used the redlining process to classify neighborhoods on their perceived level of lending risk for homeownership and maintenance loans. The original redlining map used the colors green, blue, red, and yellow to outline different neighborhoods. Green was considered the best, blue was still desirable, red was deemed as hazardous, and yellow was declining. Redlining was based on race and ethnicity; unfortunately, it was used as a tool to further segregation.

Fast forward, a considerable amount of the gentrification projects are occurring in the “Red” neighborhoods that were deemed as hazardous. When the economic opportunity begins to increase, the area becomes more desirable. New homes and shops are built catering to a certain class of individuals. Then the shift begins….

Closing Thoughts

Gentrification isn’t bridging the gap between racial and class inequalities. The projects are changing neighborhoods from less desirable to thriving but at the expense of long-time residents. In many instances, they don’t get the chance to benefit from the economic gain in the neighborhoods. As the expenses continue to increase, long-time residents are forced to relocate.

Revitalizing instead of gentrifying neighborhoods may be a better solution to cut down on displacing long-time residents. It provides the platform for the history and culture of the neighborhoods to be taken into consideration. Revitalizing would bring more businesses to the neighborhoods versus an influx of expensive homes.