Designing for Transitions: Visioning/Backcasting/Assessing the Present
Gentrification in Pittsburgh
TEAM CATALYST
Team Members
- Charmaine Qiu, charmaiq@andrew.cmu.edu
- Aman Sinha, amansinh@andrew.cmu.edu
- Gloria Moon, gmoon@andrew.cmu.edu
- Yongwen Dai, yongwend@andrew.cmu.edu
Introduction
Assignment #4, Designing for Transitions: Visioning/Backcasting/Assessing the Present, is the fourth of five assignments that explores the transition design approach for tackling complex, wicked problems and initiating systems-level changes. Building on our previous work, our team further examined the wicked problem of Gentrification in Pittsburgh. Gentrification refers to the process of transforming a neighborhood’s character by bringing in more affluent residents and businesses, which often results in the displacement of current inhabitants. Pittsburgh is one of the most gentrified cities in the United States, with several well-known neighborhoods still undergoing gentrification. For this assignment, we have extended the problem frame into the distant future, developed a vision of where they want to go, and thought deeply and rigorously about how to get there. Approaching transition design both creatively and systematically, we tackled the problem in two parts. First, we developed ‘vision facets’ of a long-term future in which their wicked problem has been resolved. Then, we backcasted from the desired future to the problematic present and created a ‘transition pathway’ along which interventions in the present act as steps toward the desired future.
Research Process
Co-creating future visions
Our team defined a future vision of “Equitable Urbanism”, where equity, justice, and inclusivity are prioritized to create communities that are more resilient, vibrant, and sustainable, and that promote the well-being of all residents.
The Household
From the perspective of equitable urbanism, the household plays an important role in setting the basic steps that help alleviate the impact of gentrification in people’s immediate surroundings. With an increase of healthy and prosperous households, this level of our future vision should take a proactive role in setting up positive examples by educating each other on the importance of cultural preservation and inclusivity.
The Neighborhood
The neighborhood level involves the formation of communities in a housing area, and their relationships highly contribute to the well-being of all residents. We believe that members of neighborhoods should come together to form voices that advocate positive change. At the same time, it should take action to preserve the diversity and character of communities and work together to ensure that all residents have access to affordable housing.
The City
The City gathers stakeholders with different amounts of power, such as local governments, developers, residents, and organizations, and these stakeholders should work together to achieve a common goal of establishing personal well-being and inclusiveness among all residents of the city. The city discusses policies by listening to all perspectives with equal representation and provides solutions that are sustainable for the environment.
The Region
The regional level of equitable urbanism focuses on communication and transportation between the cities and communities. Establishing an infrastructure of accessible public transportation can provide ease of travel between cities while connecting different communities together. The region should also provide resources that support organizations and businesses in gentrifying areas to help them stay in place with stability.
The Planet
Finally, the planetary level should bring a shift to the mindsets related to gentrification. As a result of cross-country communication and collaboration, the planet becomes more united to share a vision of inclusion and respect for diversity. Accessibility to affordable housing is recognized as a universal right for all, which shifts the capitalist mindset in economic development into local-based and sustainable endeavors.
Designing The Transition
After visioning the future without gentrification, we start to assess where we are in the present and develop milestones along the transition pathway. To better understand the current situation, we try to think about the following questions:
What Isn’t Working Anymore And Needs To Transition “Out”?
We found that economic inequality, diversity neglect, and racial discrimination could be 3 top elements to be dropped off when we are pursuing a more equitable world without gentrification. Economic inequality is one of the root causes of gentrification. Previous policies and practices ignored promoting equitable distribution of wealth and resources.
Another key element is diversity neglect. It is important to take into account the needs and perspectives of all residents, including those who have lived in the neighborhood for generations, as well as marginalized groups such as low-income families and immigrants. Ignoring these groups’ impact can exacerbate the displacement of long-time residents and lead to homogenization of the neighborhood, making it less attractive to newcomers.
Racial discrimination has played a significant role in limiting where people of color can live and own property, leading to disinvestment in certain neighborhoods and exacerbating economic inequality.
What Should We Keep? How Can We Not Throw The Baby Out With The Bathwater?
When it comes to what we should keep for a better Pittsburgh, it is important to acknowledge the city’s strong ecosystem of innovation and technology. Rather than ignoring this sector, we can build upon it to create opportunities for residents in low-income neighborhoods. Providing tech training and education, as well as forging partnerships between tech companies and community organizations, can equip residents with the skills and resources needed to participate in the growing tech sector. By doing so, we can ensure that the benefits of Pittsburgh’s tech industry are spread equitably throughout the city, rather than being concentrated in wealthier neighborhoods.
Another key aspect to consider in the transition to gentrification is affordable housing initiatives. Given the rising housing costs that often accompany gentrification, increasing the supply of affordable housing is essential to prevent displacement of residents. By continuing and expanding upon affordable housing initiatives, such as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and inclusionary zoning policies, we can help ensure that Pittsburgh remains an affordable place to live for people of all income levels. This is crucial for maintaining the city’s diversity and preventing the displacement of long-time residents.
Improving transit access to historically disinvested neighborhoods is another important consideration when designing the transition to gentrification. By investing in public transportation infrastructure, such as expanding bus routes or building light rail lines, we can help connect these neighborhoods to the rest of the city and promote more equitable access to resources and opportunities. This can help promote economic development and increase access to job opportunities and other resources. By prioritizing transit access in gentrifying neighborhoods, we can ensure that long-time residents are not cut off from the rest of the city as wealthier newcomers move in.
What Existing Inno-Vations & Practices Can Disrupt Business As Usual & Ignite The Transition?
We found crucial points to be considered as existing innovations that can help mitigate the negative impacts of this process. One such innovation is participatory urban design, which involves local residents and stakeholders in the design and planning process of urban development projects. This approach replaces the traditional urban design method and ensures that local residents’ needs and concerns are taken into account. By involving the community in the design process, we can create more equitable and sustainable urban environments that benefit everyone, rather than just the new arrivals who can afford the rising costs of living.
Another innovation that could help mitigate the negative effects of gentrification in Pittsburgh is co-housing. This model promotes affordable housing, community ownership, social diversity, and sustainable development practices. By providing a more equitable and sustainable housing option, co-housing can help prevent the displacement of long-term residents and the homogenization of neighborhoods. It also allows residents to share resources, such as laundry facilities or outdoor spaces, which can help build stronger and more supportive communities.
A final innovation to consider when designing the transition to gentrification is decommodification. This approach prioritizes community needs and cultural preservation over profit-driven real estate development. By rejecting the idea that urban development should be driven by profit and instead focusing on the needs of the community, we can create more equitable and sustainable urban environments. This can help prevent the displacement of long-term residents and ensure that gentrification is a positive force for everyone involved, rather than just a few lucky newcomers.
What ‘Pieces Of Our Future Vision’ Are Already Here In The Present?
Just as William Gibson has said:’The future is already here, just unevenly distributed.’ We try to find out the pieces of future vision at the current point. One of these pieces is the growing recognition of the importance of prioritizing diverse needs and perspectives. As societal values continue to evolve, more individuals are embracing love and compassion, and communities are being built upon a foundation of inclusion and empathy. By building upon this trend, we can create a future in which all members of the community are valued and supported.
Another piece of our future vision that already exists in the present is the implementation of policies and practices that contribute to building a more equitable society. Community land trusts, rent control, and public investment in affordable housing and cultural institutions are just a few examples of initiatives that can help ensure that gentrification does not lead to the displacement of long-term residents.
Technology development is another piece of our future vision that already benefits people and communities. By creating more job opportunities and advanced waste and energy management, technology can help promote economic development and environmental sustainability. By continuing to invest in technology development and ensuring that its benefits are shared equitably throughout the community, we can create a future in which everyone has the opportunity to benefit from technological advancements.
Milestones along the transition pathway
After evaluating our current situation, we aim to establish three key milestones that will guide us towards achieving our goal of equitable urbanism.
In the first milestone, which we aim to achieve within the next 5–10 years, our focus will be on implementing tangible changes that promote equity in urban spaces. This will include creating more job opportunities and addressing the commodification of housing, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for all residents.
Moving towards the second milestone, which is projected to take 25–35 years, we aim to see the influence of equitable urbanism spread to a larger scale in the community and neighborhoods. This will involve increased community engagement and collaboration, as well as more comprehensive policies and programs that address issues such as access to transportation, healthcare, and education.
Finally, in the third and final milestone, which is expected to occur within 50–60 years, we envision Pittsburgh as an exemplary model of equitable urbanism. This will be characterized by sustainable economic growth, equitable development, and a thriving community that prioritizes the well-being of all residents, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.
Challenges
Dissecting this assignment into two parts really helped us understand and focus on both the long-term vision and transition pathway. Unlike previous assignments, the challenges we faced were not related to difficulty in analyzing the history or perspectives. Rather, it was more difficult to imagine a perfect future that we want and see how that spans across multiple levels of society. Drawing connections from small to large, we learned that a great future has layers that can start in the household and grow into aspects of the whole planet.
Insights
Here are key insights that we gathered from the process of introducing nearcasting, middlecasting, and backcasting as tools for transitioning from gentrification to equitable urbanism in Pittsburgh:
Planning for the long-term is critical for achieving equitable outcomes: By taking a long-term perspective and planning for interventions at different time horizons, we can ensure that we are making strategic and intentional investments in our communities. This approach can help to ensure that we are addressing the root causes of gentrification and displacement, and that we are prioritizing interventions that promote equity and inclusion.
Community engagement and participation are essential: Engaging community members in the planning process is crucial for understanding their needs and priorities, and for developing interventions that are designed to meet those needs. This approach can help to build trust and foster collaboration between community members, policymakers, and planners, and can ensure that interventions are more effective and sustainable over the long-term.
Addressing systemic inequalities is necessary for achieving equitable outcomes: To transition from gentrification to equitable urbanism, it is essential to address systemic inequalities and structural barriers that perpetuate inequality and exclusion.
Achieving a future without gentrification requires addressing other systems of inequality and establishing systems of equality, such as participatory urban design and decommodification, while also addressing issues like capitalism and climate change.
To create a society that experiences no gentrification, it is important to be grounded in reality while remaining determined to create equality across all aspects of our lives, from the household to the global community. This can be achieved through social movements, belief in science and climate change, and reckoning with past injustices.
Next Steps
Now that we have designed for transitions by establishing long-term future visions, creating a transition pathway, and determining milestones from the near to far future, our team is ready to move onto the next and final step of transition design: designing systems interventions. In the fifth and last assignment for this course, our team will combine all our learnings from previous assignments to design an ‘ecology’ of systems interventions that act as a first, tangible step on the transition pathway toward the desired future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the introduction of the concepts of nearcasting, middlecasting, and backcasting provide a useful framework for urban designers, planners, and policymakers as they work towards transitioning from gentrification to equitable urbanism in Pittsburgh. By taking a long-term perspective and planning for interventions at different time horizons, it is possible to develop a more strategic and intentional approach to this transition that centers the needs and perspectives of the community.
By involving community members in the development of nearcasting, middlecasting, and backcasting strategies, we can better understand the needs and priorities of the community and ensure that interventions are designed to meet those needs. Additionally, this approach highlights the need to address structural inequalities and systemic barriers that perpetuate gentrification and displacement, and to prioritize strategies that promote equity and inclusion.
Overall, the use of nearcasting, middlecasting, and backcasting can help laying down the path to this transition in smaller, foreseeable time horizons. By focusing on interventions at different time horizons, and by involving community members in the planning process, we can work towards creating a city that is sustainable, resilient, and inclusive for all.
References
- Klein, Daniel. “Artists and Neighborhood Change, Probing Gentrification — EVOLVEEA.” Evolve EA, 12 May 2020, https://evolveea.com/artists-and-neighborhood-change/.
- Ncrc. (2019, April 9). Pittsburgh City Paper: Pittsburgh is one of the most gentrified cities in the U.S. “ NCRC. NCRC. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- “Neighborhoods in Transition: Gentrification Hits Pittsburgh.” The Pitt News, 16 Sept. 2014, https://pittnews.com/article/3509/news/neighborhoods-in-transition-gentrification-hits-pittsburgh/.
- Shifting neighborhoods: Gentrification and cultural displacement in American cities “ NCRC. NCRC. (2022, November 2). Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://ncrc.org/gentrification/
- Special to the Capital-Star, P. C.-S. M. 4. (2021, May 4). How rising rents and renovations have displaced Pittsburghers and added to the city’s ongoing issues with gentrification — Pennsylvania capital. Star. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- The Pittsburgh Neighborhood Project. (2022, November 19). Gentrification and displacement in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Neighborhood Project. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- You don’t have to go far to find gentrification in Pittsburgh. utimes. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2023.
