Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think everywhere is subject to gentrification. It's a never-ending cycle. But it's a "city" thing, not a suburb thing. I think it starts with the businesses first, and the housing quickly follows. People want to start business but can't afford much move into poorer neighborhoods, one after another and slowly upgrade it. People start going into those areas for the businesses, see that there are attractive but uncared for houses, buy one and fix it up. Residents there now can't afford it, move to cheaper areas, and that area ages downgrades. People move in with new businesses ... rinse, repeat.
It's less likely to happen in suburbs, as someone upthread said, I think because they're not a magnet for businesses.
I think everywhere is subject to gentrification. It's a never-ending cycle. But it's a "city" thing, not a suburb thing. I think it starts with the businesses first, and the housing quickly follows. People want to start business but can't afford much move into poorer neighborhoods, one after another and slowly upgrade it. People start going into those areas for the businesses, see that there are attractive but uncared for houses, buy one and fix it up. Residents there now can't afford it, move to cheaper areas, and that area ages downgrades. People move in with new businesses ... rinse, repeat.
It's less likely to happen in suburbs, as someone upthread said, I think because they're not a magnet for businesses.
This 100%. Location, location, location. Also, people who can't afford housing in more expensive areas but see these new businesses going in and take a chance in purchasing less expensive housing in these neighborhoods hoping they be upgraded in the near future.
Are there any neighborhoods that are resisting gentrification despite being ripe for it (central location, older housing stock, walkable, etc.)? Somewhere where the long-time locals are digging in, where rent control is being implemented, where hipsters are getting ass-whooped, etc.?
Or is there no force greater than upper middle class money?
SoDo and the International District in Downtown Seattle. SoDo (south downtown) is prime location but since the Port operates there in will be awhile until anything with be done there. With a potential new arena moving there I think the city needs to start converting the area in to High Density urban neighborhood for 10-15 years down the line. But with the port there nothing is predictable.
Are there any neighborhoods that are resisting gentrification despite being ripe for it (central location, older housing stock, walkable, etc.)? Somewhere where the long-time locals are digging in, where rent control is being implemented, where hipsters are getting ass-whooped, etc.?
Or is there no force greater than upper middle class money?
Sodo in Seattle is very walkable and currently is home to Century Link Field and Safeco Field. Right on Deep water and a high rise could easily have amazing views of the sound. Pretty walkable area.
Are there any neighborhoods that are resisting gentrification despite being ripe for it (central location, older housing stock, walkable, etc.)? Somewhere where the long-time locals are digging in, where rent control is being implemented, where hipsters are getting ass-whooped, etc.?
Or is there no force greater than upper middle class money?
Speaking for Portland we do not have rent control and never will. Gentrification has already taken place over decades in the central locations and is now spreading to the farther reaches of the city. But it is not only hipsters who are moving in, in fact it is mostly middle class professionals who can afford the rising costs of rents and house purchases. Hipsters usually group together to rent out apartments they could otherwise not afford individually in these neighborhoods.
In many cases, beginning in the 1980's, in my central location, older housing stock, walkable, etc. neighborhood the long-time locals of which you speak were happy to sell at very high prices and make a killing. That's what started the gentrification process and continued on through the housing bubble burst in the early part of this 2000. Before the bubble burst, the people forced to move were not the property owners but those who rented from them who had no say in the matter. So, in the words of the Borg, "Resistance was futile."
Although I do remember back in the 80's in my neighborhood when this began happening, the many long time resident renters who were forced out of their apartments due to the ever increasing rents did appeal to the city for help. There was a group of people, me being one of them, who got together to protest the $100 plus rent increases we were getting but it fell on deaf ears in our city hall. The majority of the protesters were retirees living on fixed incomes who had lived in their apartments for many, many years.
I wouldn't have blamed people for selling their houses for prices at the time were more than they ever dreamed of at the time never imagining what the neighborhood would become some day. And the apartment building owners really made a killing.
The resistance to gentrification is not the kind you describe but rather the kind the realtors or property speculators would not deem worthy of developing.
As was pointed out, gentrification is a business. The realtors, speculators or property flippers aren't going to be benevolent. My gripe has always been with the city for doing nothing to help the people who wind up being collateral damage in all of this. Someone, I don't know if it was on this thread or another, posted about how their city helped to create affordable housing for people in their city when their neighborhoods became gentrified so they could at least remain in the area. I imagine though that was a pretty rare thing.
Are there any neighborhoods that are resisting gentrification despite being ripe for it (central location, older housing stock, walkable, etc.)? Somewhere where the long-time locals are digging in, where rent control is being implemented, where hipsters are getting ass-whooped, etc.?
Or is there no force greater than upper middle class money?
See DC and Philly. There is a couple of threads ( see DC/Philly forums ) somewhere around here about it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
