Paper # 2- Gentrification Effects

Gentrification is the term used to describe when an influx of wealthier individuals move into a community and eventually take over the middle class and low-income neighborhoods by over population, status and economics.  As defined by Marcuse, "gentrification is the movement into a previously working class area by upper-income households, (generally professionals, managers, technicians, the new gentry), resulting in the displacement of the former lower-income residents" (Curran, 2007, p.1427). Moses describes it as putting the needs of the lower income and middle class families up against the giants of real estate companies, governments and wealthier residents that drive up the rents and eventually cause this population to move out. Unfortunately, the population that are being driven out are people of color and ethnic races, that brought culture and history to these cities. He also noticed from  The Loyola study, which was done to compare gentrification in a Latino community in Chicago is the loss of children and increase in dogs as well as loss of an elderly population (Moses, 2006,p.10). Ultimately leading to a deterioration and abolished culture that this population provides in these neighborhoods.

When a neighborhood is gentrified it causes change in socioeconomic developments in a community and causes loss of culture and diversity. In certain communities it drives away old businesses (mom and pop stores) and brings in chain stores that can afford the high rents, eventually changing the way a community looks, for example, Monatgue Street in Brooklyn Heights (Lees, p.2496). “Brooklyn Heights is one of the first neighborhoods in the US to gentrify” (Lees, 2003, p. 2492). A beautiful neighborhood known for its Brownstones homes, they were once used as two or three family homes, that provided for close-knit community feeling. As individuals began to invest and buy these brownstones turn them into single family homes or just for investment.  Isolating each other and a community feeling becomes dissipated. This in change causes the reduction of rental space and again forcing people to move away to other cities. Jane Jacobs an activist for urban planning and communities stated that, “apart from any architectural considerations, every neighborhood needs a mixture of newer and older buildings in order to allow for a variety of uses, income levels, and even ideas within the neighborhood”. 

Williamsburg once a very industrial area in Brooklyn. With loft space and factories. A haven for artists, being attracted to the space that a loft and factory provided at reasonable rents.  Again over time transforming Williamsburg into an all residential community causing and increase in rents for tenants and making it too expensive for local businesses to survive and being driven out and displaced.

Gentrification in more times than not results in loss of culture and flavor in a community, changing it to a more homogenous culture. As I saw in Spanish Harlem " El Barrio" gentrification is slowly occurring yet the community still maintains and holds on to some of its culture by getting involved in the community. 

 Urban planning is important to plan with all that in mind. Hamnett states, " that there are no universally and temporally stable residential patterns, gentrification is a continuing process"(Curran,p.2491). This has been occurring since the start of community living. It is inevitable but I’m sure there are ways to preserve history and culture in communities. 
Gentrified areas has also enhanced otherwise deteriorated communities and built them up causing a decrease in crime and increasing chance for revenue to come into the community. There is the issue of community commitment. It has to be a two street. Residents should be committed to their community and the community  committed to its residents when money moves in.  As O'Shea states, "The challenge is to make the poor visible in the public; that they are the true pioneers "(Moses,p.11).

Reference:

Curran, W. (2007). 'From the Frying Pan to the Oven': Gentrification and the Experience of Industrial Displacement in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Urban Studies (Routledge), 44(8), 1427-1440. doi:10.1080/00420980701373438

Lees, L. (2003). Super-gentrification: the case of Brooklyn Heights, New York City. Urban Studies (Routledge), 40(12), 2487-2509.


Moses, <. c. (2006). Gentrification. Commonweal, 133(11), 10-11. http://search.proquest.com/docview/210402139?accountid=28076