Gentrification: less chaos on streets, more chaos in life
Gentrification describes the process of urbanization and, in turn, renovation of neighborhoods. The word, itself, was coined by Ruth Glass, author of London: Aspects of Change, back in 1964 to address the displacement of low-income group people by middle-class people in the inner city areas of London. Glass observed that “once this process of “gentrification” starts in a district, it goes on rapidly until all or most of the original working class occupiers are displaced, and the whole social character of the district is changed”. The way Glass captured the idea of this word in her book, today, fits the changes and hustle in most metropolitan cities across the globe. Cities and neighborhoods are constantly undergoing “renovation” and “modifications,” resulting in the “displacement” of people from one neighborhood to another. With all these changes, the demographic and social connotations of gentrification are being debated more than ever.
As Emily Chong notes in her piece “Examining the Negative Impacts of Gentrification” in the Georgetown journal, gentrification causes rise in the property prices which often leads landlords to increase rents. As a result, it leaves a lot of people with no option but to move out due to their inability to survive the increasing prices. In other words, gentrification causes “situationally forced displacement” of lower-income group from their neighborhood. This space is filled by richer and perhaps more affluent people, who are attracted to the improving services, infrastructure facilities and amenities in these gentrifying neighbourhoods. Thus, gentrification seems to cause a simultaneous influx of people who willingly displace from their neighbourhood, and outflux of people due to situationally forced displacement from the gentrifying neighbourhood. This simultaneous influx of high income people puts more pressure on the housing market, effectively wiping out the low-income residents in entirety(Chong).
The effects of gentrification on low-income people of the neighbourhoods, especially people of color and elderly individuals, is distressing. As a part of the community is displaced, social interaction and bonding of the existing community — something that’s extremely valued by both elderly residents and people of color — is dismantled, they find it difficult to continue living in the newly structured society of people alien to them(Chong). Unhappiness due to the loss of their old friendships and community, and struggle due to their personal finances, combined, makes it hard for them to have a happy balanced life. A lot of times, the needs and aspirations of new set of people from the gentrifying neighbourhood vastly differ from those of the current residents. The emergence of new and elite services, sometimes far away from their interest or utility, instils a feeling of segregation within them. The constant emergence of these new “elite” facilities leads to continuous increase in prices which creates more pressure on these low income people, ultimately forcing them to move out(Chong). Thus, as Glass noted, once gentrification is triggered, it completely alters the social structure of the neighbourhood.
Gentrification of neighbourhoods predominantly inhabited by African Americans have been found to have interesting characteristics. Contrary to popular beliefs, they have remained concentrated with black people and have seen to have very little white influx(Timberlake and Johns-Wolfe). Whites have been found to be not very inclined to move to black populated areas(Urban Affairs Forum). Similarly, growing black middle class population find it more comfortable to live within black people communities(Thomas), where they are treated with respect, as equal and are not judged on the basis of their race and ethnicity. In fact, feelings of racial seclusion and the want for racial solidarity has been found to motivate African-Americans to move to low income neighbourhoods with rich black culture(Gebreyes). The middle class black gentrifiers are often found to be willing to invest in black neighbourhoods with an intent of creating “politically and economically strong black neighbourhoods”(Gebreyes). The blacks who are displaced struggle and face disappointments. Lately, more and more gentrified blacks have been found to be moving to suburbs(Thomas). Living away from cities affects their work due to longer travel times and social lives as they move away from their communities. Displacement of african-american in the suburbs also affects the political scenario, as blacks leaders struggle to find enough support in elections(Thomas). Inadequate representation of blacks in political parties can eventually pull us back to times where policies were centered around the white populations, and needs of black people weren’t taken care of.
When looked more closely, one realises that gentrification, and following displacement, is driven by the lack of quality urbanism. Gentrification, leading to urbanisation, is thus seen as a sign of economic growth. However, the benefits of economic growth are disproportionately shared by the gentrifiers and those gentrified. For new residents, gentrification marks an easier access to better schools, hospitals, transit facilities as well as luxuries like stylish and urbanised living spaces, fancy cafes, and gyms. While it destroys the social and cultural fabric of displaced communities who were residing in the neighborhood for years. For those who are not displaced, the continuous surge in prices due to the emergence of some useful and other elite infrastructure eventually leads them to move out.
Gentrification is thus both good and bad. It’s comforting and discomforting. It’s including and secluding. It’s creating and destroying. As people affect differently from gentrification, they have different notions of it.
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References:
Eldredge, Barbara. “What Is Gentrification? Its Definition, Causes, and Effects.” Brownstoner, 14 Apr. 2016, www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/what-is-gentrification-definition-causes-effects/.
Chong, Emily. “Examining the Negative Impacts of Gentrification.” Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy, 17 Sept. 2017, gjplp.org/2017/09/05/examining-the-negative-impacts-of-gentrification/.
“Gentrification Is Not Necessarily Turning Black Neighborhoods White.” Urban Affairs Forum, 21 Dec. 2017, urbanaffairsreview.com/2016/04/25/gentrification-is-not-necessarily-turning-black-neighborhoods-white/.
Thomas. “The Gentrification Effect.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Feb. 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/opinion/the-gentrification-effect.html.
Gebreyes, Rahel. “Grappling With Gentrification As A Middle Class Black American.” The
Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Jan. 2015, www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/20/black-gentrification_n_6502104.html.