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Urban life and rural life
Causes and effects of gentrification
Causes and effects of gentrification
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Recommended: Urban life and rural life
Urban and Rural Geographies study and focus on the processes that each entity—rural and urban space—have been taking and adopting after World War II. Geographers conclude that both rural and urban spaces are socially constructed; the role of the economy, social migration, and the degree role of the state or local government contribute and impact the development and creation of spaces. For example, when industrialization arrived to the United States, it transformed some cities—Chicago, New York, and Detroit—into very important urban centers, and also, it caused thousands of people to migrate from less developed areas to these booming cities for job opportunities, especially African-Americans from the South. Furthermore, geographers see the features …show more content…
The main reason for gentrification is to improve urban or rural abandoned places, and young or middle-age people are the ones who push for a recreation and improvement of forgotten places because they want to recreate and live in a place by adjusting something old to fit modern needs. Also, gentrification is triggered by the importance of health and well-being of people around forgotten places or less well maintained. For instance, cities are too packed that spaces for relaxation are not common, so gentrification offers people in the inner city greenspaces with a “potential to facilitate physical activity, social connectedness and mental relaxation” to urban population (Cloke 608). In addition, when people migrate to new reconstructed places in urban or rural areas, they do it because they count with a financial backing. As a matter of fact, gentrification is aimed to attract economic resources, but instead, it turns out to attract new upper-middle people to live in those expensive places with all the commodities and …show more content…
One reason is that gentrification make people, who live in the inner city, to identify themselves to belong to a particular class of citizens. Since gentrification began, people have been moving to the reconstructed places in the inner city, so they began to act as the rest of the people in that area according the social expectations and norms from people living in that space. A second reason is that gentrification fits certain type of people according to their sexuality. Gentrification is not only triggered by people with a normal sexuality, but gay and lesbian neighborhoods made by gentrification make them to feel secure and safe; they do not feel and be seen as out of place. A third reason is that gentrification is attributed for social construction, which it places people with special boundaries. Because they live in a certain place, people decide to maintain a social boundary that makes them to distinguish from the rest of others, mainly through the location of their
Another noteworthy urban sociologist that’s invested significant research and time into gentrification is Saskia Sassen, among other topical analysis including globalization. “Gentrification was initially understood as the rehabilitation of decaying and low-income housing by middle-class outsiders in central cities. In the late 1970s a broader conceptualization of the process began to emerge, and by the early 1980s new scholarship had developed a far broader meaning of gentrification, linking it with processes of spatial, economic and social restructuring.” (Sassen 1991: 255). This account is an extract from an influential book that extended beyond the field of gentrification and summarizes its basis proficiently. In more recent and localized media, the release the documentary-film ‘In Jackson Heights’ portrayed the devastation that gentrification is causing as it plagues through Jackson Heights, Queens. One of the local businessmen interviewed is shop owner Don Tobon, stating "We live in a
There are many examples of cities reforming itself over time, one significant example is Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. More than a hundred years after the discovery of gold that drew thousands of migrants to Vancouver, the city has changed a lot, and so does one of its oldest community: Downtown Eastside. Began as a small town for workers that migrants frequently, after these workers moved away with all the money they have made, Downtown Eastside faced many hardships and changes. As a city, Vancouver gave much support to improve the area’s living quality and economics, known as a process called gentrification. But is this process really benefiting everyone living in Downtown Eastside? The answer is no. Gentrification towards DTES(Downtown Eastside) did not benefit the all the inhabitants of the area. Reasons are the new rent price of the area is much higher than before the gentrification, new businesses are not community-minded, and the old culture and lifestyle of the DTES is getting erased by the new residents.
“gentrification as an ugly product of greed. Yet these perspectives miss the point. Gentrification is a byproduct of mankind 's continuing interest in advancing the notion that one group is more superior to another and worthy of capitalistic consumption with little regard to social consciousness. It is elitism of the utmost and exclusionary politics to the core. This has been a constant theme of mankind to take or deplete a space for personal gain. In other words, it 's very similar to the "great advantage" of European powers over Native Americans and westward expansion”(Wharton).
... motivation for wealthy individuals to return to the inner-city core but it also provides impetus for commercial and retail mixed-use to follow, increasing local revenue for cities (Duany, 2001). Proponents of gentrification profess that this increase in municipal revenue from sales and property taxes allows for the funding of city improvements, in the form of job opportunities, improved schools and parks, retail markets and increased sense of security and safety ((Davidson (2009), Ellen & O’Reagan (2007), Formoso et. al (2010)). Due to the increase in housing and private rental prices and the general decrease of the affordable housing stock in gentrifying areas, financially-precarious communities such as the elderly, female-headed households, and blue-collar workers can no longer afford to live in newly developed spaces ((Schill & Nathan (1983), Atkinson, (2000)).
gentrification can jeopardize the relationship of a community. “ The issue of justification is a very sensitive one for many Chicagoans. Conflicting feelings among neighbors can create mistrust, and resentment.” (Wood). the neighborhood neighborhood leave anything there neighbor says anything having to do with the community. Therefore, these people don 't feel safe in their own neighborhood and
Gentrification is defined as the process by which the wealthy or upper middle class uproot poorer individuals through the renovation and rebuilding of poor neighborhoods. Many long-term residents find themselves no longer able to afford to live in an area, where the rent and property values are increasing. Gentrification is a very controversial topic, revealing both the positive and negative aspects of the process. Some of the more desirable outcomes include reduced crime rate, increased economic activity, and the building of new infrastructures. However, it is debated whether the negatives overwhelm the positive. An increase in the number of evictions of low-income families, often racial minorities can lead to a decline of diversity
It consistently affects the urban development of neighborhoods. Even though there are positives in gentrification such as social and economic development of communities but there are also negatives specifically lower income families are forced to move out of their homes because of high rent prices. This also causes people to become homeless because they can’t afford the newly inflated rent prices. In my opinion, I believe there should be some sort of system where apartments and houses are made based of what you can afford so families have places to live. Landlords shouldn’t raise their prices just so they can get people they desire to live in their homes. Even though it's understandable that landlords want to make more money but they shouldn’t force families out. There should only be a legitimate reason for families to be evicted out of their homes. Even though Gentrification has been around for a long time, hopefully there is some positive change in the
This investigation is based on the assumption that gentrification with all its troubles can’t be prevented and is an inherent part of every city. What are the negative impacts of gentrification? What are the underlying mechanisms that feed these impacts? What drives these mechanisms? What would be an alternative scenario?
Gentrification is described as the renovation of certain neighborhoods in order to accommodate to young workers and the middle-class. For an area to be considered gentrified, a neighborhood must meet a certain median home value and hold a percentage of adults earning Bachelor’s degree. Philadelphia’s gentrification rate is among the top in the nation; different neighborhoods have pushed for gentrification and have seen immense changes as a result. However, deciding on whether or not gentrification is a beneficial process can become complicated. Various groups of people believe that cities should implementing policy on advancing gentrification, and others believe that this process shouldn’t executed. Both sides are impacted by the decision to progress gentrification; it is unclear of the true implications of completely renovating impoverished urban areas; gentrification surely doesn’t solve all of a community’s issues. I personally believe that gentrification is not necessarily a good or bad process; gentrification should occur as a natural progression of innovative economies and novel lifestyles collide within certain areas. Policy involving gentrification should not support the removal of people out of their neighborhood for the sake of advancement.
Lance Freeman tackles the issue of gentrification from the perspectives of residents in the gentrified neighborhood. He criticizes the literature for overlooking the experiences of the victims of gentrification. The author argues that people’s conceptions on the issue are somewhat misinformed in that most people consider it as completely deplorable, whereas in reality, it benefits the community by promoting businesses, different types of stores, and cleaner streets. These benefits are even acknowledged by many residents in the gentrified neighborhood. However, the author admits that gentrification indeed does harm. Although gentrification does not equate to displacement per se, it serves to benefit primarily homeowners and harm the poor. Additionally,
Gentrification is designed to improve the quality of life for the residents, but the fact is that it pushes out old residents to welcome in young and wealthy citizens. To analyze the demographic even further, gentrified neighborhoods in New York City have seen an increase in white population despite a city wide decrease. As Kate Abbey-Lamertz of the Huffington Post states, “The report notes that change is driven by educated people moving in, rather than by existing residents becoming more educated.” These changes are being driven by a millennial demographic who can afford the changed aesthetic. The influx of millennials are pushing out families whose lifestyle can’t keep up with the changing demographic. Even though these changes have been occurring for almost thirty years, and the city hasn’t made the changes needed for people who need low income housing. New York City’s gentrification must be slowed in order for people in low income housing to catch
Gentrification is a highly important topic that has not only been occurring all over the United States, but especially closer than we may have thought. San Francisco is home to hundreds of thousands of people who have been a part of how amazing this city has become. San Francisco is one of the most visited places in the world with many of its famous landmarks, endless opportunities not only for daytime fun but also has an amazing nightlife that people cannot get enough of. People come for a great time and could not be done without the help of the people who have grown up to experience and love this city for what it truly is. The cost of living in such an important city has definitely had its affect of lower income San Francisco residents. For decades we have seen changes occurring in parts of San Francisco where minorities live. We have seen this in Chinatown, SOMA, Fillmore district, and especially the Mission district.
The Great Migration started in 1910 and continued through 1930. It was a period in time which saw 1.6 million African Americans relocate from the southern states to the northern states(AAME). There are four main which contributed to this occurring. The first was better and more skilled job opportunities available in the north. Many blacks were not allowed to work or hold high paying jobs in the South. The second was the oppression of African Americans in the South. They were treated very poorly and were often victims of racism and crime at a much higher rate than in the Northern states. The third was they wanted to have the right to vote. The Jim Crow laws restricted African Americans from basic rights including voting, in the South, while
Gentrification is not about race, yet it is dressed up to be. Gentrification at its core is about new companies coming and old local stores being replaced. A more complex analysis would be that; gentrification has a significant effect and shifts on people of low-income residencies with a diverse population being replaced by primarily wealthy white residents. This causes a rift towards small and local business, culture and aesthetic of neighborhoods with the changes of new coming residents raising housing cost and ultramodern companies.(Leonard 2013) Despite the main cause of gentrification being new companies moving into low-income diverse neighborhoods. It is not portrayed in such fashion, but rather portrayed as the displacement of minorities.
The world is home to many different types of communities. Each type is made of different people from various walks of life. A very popular type of community is an urban community. Generally the word urban is associated with large cities composed of vast transport systems, skyscrapers and heavy commerce that offers man different career opportunities. A key feature of urban environments is the diverse communities that it creates. This is brought about due to the dense population that large cities accumulate. Urban living is a lifestyle that starts from birth. Many people raised in an urban environment tend to spend their entire life there.