Gentrification

Revitalization is a positive and progressive practice that brings new life and vitality to rundown and depressed areas. Of the many benefits that come from revitalization efforts, increased economic activity, new employment opportunities, safer streets, and new activities and amenities are at the top. Unfortunately, as with anything there is a balancing part of this equation; these positive benefits are met with negative aspects such as higher rental rates and increased property values. Although these are considered benefits to those leading the revitalization efforts, it greatly affects local residents, businesses and property owners within the area, as they become at risk of being “priced out of the market and forced to move.”[1] This is gentrification.

Solutions to gentrification have been long proposed throughout the years, as it has been nearly unavoidable and a constant occurrence of revitalization efforts. Rent control ordinances have been implemented as a way to help local residents and owners remain in their communities by maintaining their rental rates. Rent subsidies have also been used as a solution to gentrification, covering the cost difference of the increased rental rates. Also, some developers have had to meet certain quotas of providing affordable, subsidized living options in their developments. These solutions are unfortunately not that effective in the long run, as governments just do not have the funding capacity to maintain these sorts of endeavors long-term. Also, these solutions do not solve these problems, they are just temporarily remedied and eventually the problems will resurface and chances are the problems will be worse as the solutions will no longer apply as they did initially.

In the readings this week, Lance Freeman, a professor of Urban Planning at Columbia University, reported on his findings of a study on gentrification that revealed “gentrification results in the displacement of relatively fewer lower-income occupants of an area when compared to displacement in areas that are not gentrifying.”[2] This finding is a bit perplexing, as it somewhat changes what has been typically regarded of gentrification to date. Freeman continues to say that the incentives provided through the revitalization and gentrification efforts actually reassure many of the current residents to want to stay. So are the negative aspects of gentrification improving? How are residents and owners making this transition?

To provide more insight to these questions the example of ongoing efforts to combat gentrification issues in Chinatown (NYC) is brought into investigation. Projected development to this neighborhood has caused community members to join together and become involved with all of the aspects of the planning and revitalization efforts taking place, as a way to combat a possible downfall to gentrification. The Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side opted to create their own rendition of a development plan, focusing less on the developer’s interests and more on those interests and desires of local residents. Three points in particular that were highlighted in their proposal were: (1) the regulation of new construction in the area, (2) protection and preservation of existing residences, and (3) protection of local, culturally diverse businesses found throughout the area.[3] One proposed solution that seemed viable from this example, was a possible incentive program called the ‘Good Landlord, Good Neighbor’ program. It basically provides affordable housing options by offering incentives to owners of small buildings that comply in renting units at below-market rates.[4] Is this long lasting? Maybe not, but it may be a good transitional option.

This example of Chinatown shows that with the right community involvement and participation from the beginning, gentrification threats can be mitigated (that is, if city officials are in compliance with citizen’s concerns and needs). Perhaps Freeman is right. Maybe the problem with past revitalization efforts is that gentrifiers have been too gung-ho to decorate and fix the place before actually settling in and getting a feel for it. Is this the end of gentrification? No. This issue is too big to simply fix overnight and no real, long-term solutions have proven successful to date, but there is hope that local residents can be more pro-active in vocalizing their interests and desires. And with that pro-active involvement, perhaps better outcomes can be discovered for all interested parties.

[1] Gunther, Justin. “Unit 9: Practicalities of Revitalization.” Class Notes, SCAD, Savannah, GA, August 20, 2014.

[2] Ibid.

[3] “Solutions to Gentrification.” Neighborhood Projects. http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/beemanneighborhoods/solutions/ (accessed August 21, 2014).

[4] Ibid.