Gentrification: What, Why, How?

Gentrification is a serious issue that many urban centers experience, where there is a divide between the existing and incoming developments and population of a given neighborhood. Although development - for the most part- focuses on increasing economic opportunities in urban centers,  they tend to create issues of gentrification when done so without careful consideration of existing population, the urban fabric, and the opportunity-risk studies.

Since development, generally, increases land value and creates economic opportunities for a given neighborhood, it has the tendency to marginalize or abandon some of existing population by creating a social gap. This is especially true if medium to high-end development takes place nearby low-income housing areas. With the new development, the rent and daily prices tend to increase, causing the existing population to no longer be able to afford their lifestyles. As a strategy, with any residential development comes the needs and desires of retail and office space, boosting the prices to meet the newly-defined neighborhood. This instance is problematic for existing residents, let alone residents residing in low-income housing units. As the new development increases, these residents could feel more isolated, especially if the City does not -even just seemingly- value them and their land as much anymore.

Moreover, one of the issues of new development in a formerly low-income focused neighborhood is that the development does not extend to existing lands. In other words, there is no upgrading of the public space for the existing residents, causing a visual divide between the new and old. This visual paradox is not only an indication of the different social classes, but can also cause an increase in other social issues.

It is possible to study these issues in-depth theoretically and resolve them through community involvement, direct dialogue between residents and city officials, and most importantly hands-on design and build pilot projects that enhance the quality of life for existing residents.

Article by: Elyana Javaheri