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All of the cities I have been to in recent years are gentrifying; even Detroit to a certain extent. The only city that I didn't see much evidence of it was Buffalo but I am probably wrong on that.
If you pay attention to commercials you'll notice that a LOT are in urban settings, lofts, etc. Much more than even 5 years ago. I think this has worked its way into the American psyche so many more folks think cities are The Place To Be.
I really do think that most American cities are gentrifying. More and more people are becoming disillusioned with life in suburbia. A recent article in the Tennessean newspaper said that many baby boomers are retiring to the inner cities (in this case, Nashville). Without kids to raise, they're not worried about schools or big back yards and instead are buying condos and renovated old houses closer to downtown in order to be closer to things like the symphony, museums, non-chain restaurants, main libraries, sports arenas, stuff like that.
My problem with gentrification though is the fact that they don't actually help the people who lived in the neighborhood when it was poor.They end up having to move to another low-income part of the city,or into one of the poorer suburbs.If your not actually helping the people who lived in the neighborhoods being gentrified,what is being accomplished?And BTW this is just what I hear about.Maybe some cities do help the people in the neighborhoods being gentrified.But most of what I hear is that they tear down neighborhoods,than build a bunch of condos that don't end up being occupied by the people who were actually living in the neighborhood.
I think there are several factors involved in the rehabilitation of inner cities:
1) It's just more convenient. If there's a downtown area with restaurants, drug stores, etc., you can find everything within 10 blocks of your house, as opposed to living in the car.
2) The real estate is cheaper. Let's see, downtown condominium with no yard work, more convenience for less than some garden home 45 minutes outside of town? Sign me up.
3) The overhaul of public housing. I don't think people realized how much damage the Great Society concept of public housing did to the inner city. By building these massive complexes and filling them up with impoverished families, public housing in the time of LBJ almost guaranteed that every downtown area would have a huge pocket of crime and poverty. The new Hope VI developments instead are more mixed in nature, putting poor families with working class and middle class families. Thank goodness.
4) The advent of a creative class. To them, the idea of living in Leavittown is just anathema. They like to congregate in cool places, hence revitalized communities.
My problem with gentrification though is the fact that they don't actually help the people who lived in the neighborhood when it was poor.They end up having to move to another low-income part of the city,or into one of the poorer suburbs.If your not actually helping the people who lived in the neighborhoods being gentrified,what is being accomplished?And BTW this is just what I hear about.Maybe some cities do help the people in the neighborhoods being gentrified.But most of what I hear is that they tear down neighborhoods,than build a bunch of condos that don't end up being occupied by the people who were actually living in the neighborhood.
See, I would argue the opposite point. While there is some dislocation from apartments and the like, a revitalized downtown actually means a better quality of life in a whole host of ways. There are more jobs downtown, along with a far easier commute to work. There is a stronger social fabric, which means less crime and decay. And there typically is a better civic government as well, the result of a more affluent citizenry demand more efficiency and better results from their tax dollar.
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