How does one know when a community has "completely gentrifed"? (Atlanta: section 8, apartment complex)

[equinox63]

In the CL Neighborhood Guide (posted in a separate thread), they said that Kirkwood is "still not entirely gentrified". How does one know if a neighborhood is "entirely gentrified"? Are Poncey-Highland or Grant Park entirely gentrified? What about East Atlanta and Ormewood Park?

Lastly, is gentrification only related to race or economic status? For example, could groups of affluent Black and Latino people "gentrify" a working-class white community?

[plessthanpointohfive]

I would say it really comes down to the schools the neighborhood is districted to. For instance, Candler Park and Inman Park are districted to Mary Lin, Inman, and Grady - a good cluster. Poncey-Highlands and parts of Virginia-Highland are districted to Springdale Park, Inman, Grady.

And so on.

When the public schools are good (ie, good test scores and high attendence) then property values go up and thus gentrification.

[lorilove]

Gentrification typically refers to economic status. It is when a higher economic group moves in to a lower economic area.

I think the level of gentrification can change overtime. It starts off slow, picks up speed and then slows down again but may not be fully gentrified.

I also believe that gentrification starts in a few areas but depending on the size of the town/city it takes longer to spread to other areas.

I don't know enough detail about those areas but would generally agree that they are not fully gentrified which means there are some nice redeveloped areas but there are still areas that are depressed.

When an area is first being gentrified the schools are often week and therefore the new homeowners don't have school age children or can afford private school. School improvement often lags in improving.

There are definitely depressed areas that are predominately white and Black or Latins can gentrify an area.

[MisterNY]

1. I'd say when crackheads and thugs feel totally out of place, it's getting better.

2. I think it's more about economic status than anything else. But since we tend to see, yuppies (mostly white) come in and transform a bad area, we tend to look at race.

Here's how I see it:

If a group sees potential in a neighborhood, and works hard to bring it back to look great and make it safe, who are we to give them slack for it? The actual residents don't care enough to change it, or have the funds to make improvements, and someone else does, why should we be mad? The "yuppies" gamble by buying and renovating. It's not like they kick down doors to get these houses. They buy them for cheap and put lots of blood, sweat and tears to get them to where they want them.

I believe that affluent blacks and hispanics can do the same, but in all honesty (I may get a lot of FLACK for saying this), many won't. They may not take these risks. You may see them follow the young white families years later, doing it. But they won't for the most part, be the trendsettters. I think it's about economics there as well.

Will these poor areas they "risked" rebuilding reap any benefits, as fast as if whites did it? I won't say it's not in them, but I guess they're playing it safe. I can't blame them.

In this case, you can tie in race and economics as the causes.

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

When the public schools are good (ie, good test scores and high attendence) then property values go up and thus gentrification.

I think it's the other way around. The area improves first, then schools get better.

[koko339]

I don't know if any area in Atlanta is completely gentrified. Meaning, there's always gonna be some lower income people hanging on. There are plenty of dumpy apartments in Midtown, Inman Park, etc, but those areas are considered gentrified. I guess it's all a matter of relativity. I suppose the CL article meant that there are still large areas of Kirkwood with older and/or poor residents? (I'm not too familiar with that part of town)

Also, I don't want to make this another race centered discussion, but I couldn't help think of the gentrification entry over at stuffwhitepeoplelike.com LOL-http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008...entrification/

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by koko339

I don't know if any area in Atlanta is completely gentrified. Meaning, there's always gonna be some lower income people hanging on. There are plenty of dumpy apartments in Midtown, Inman Park, etc, but those areas are considered gentrified. I guess it's all a matter of relativity. I suppose the CL article meant that there are still large areas of Kirkwood with older and/or poor residents? (I'm not too familiar with that part of town)

Also, I don't want to make this another race centered discussion, but I couldn't help think of the gentrification entry over at stuffwhitepeoplelike.com LOL-#73 Gentrification « Stuff White People Like

I've had that site bookmarked for a while. It's funny.

[BringBackCobain]

When the last ghetto and/or section 8 apartment complex is redeveloped.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I would say it really comes down to the schools the neighborhood is districted to. For instance, Candler Park and Inman Park are districted to Mary Lin, Inman, and Grady - a good cluster. Poncey-Highlands and parts of Virginia-Highland are districted to Springdale Park, Inman, Grady.

And so on.

When the public schools are good (ie, good test scores and high attendence) then property values go up and thus gentrification.

That's spot on. When you've fixed the schools you've fixed your neighborhood. Until then, you haven't. Property values will still be too volatile to attract a steady stream of new residents and businesses.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Originally Posted by MisterNY

I think it's the other way around. The area improves first, then schools get better.

That's right, but I am saying that you KNOW a place has COMPLETELY gentrified when you see that the public schools are good.