i n v i s i b l e
ne igh borS gentrif ic ation acros s cit i es
what is gentrific ation? Gen•tri•fi•ca•tion: any form of urban renewal that leads to the displacement of the residing community in a neighborhood. Wealthy businesses and residents move in and cause real-estate values to increase. The poorer residents who are unable to pay the increased rent and rising property taxes are forced to leave.
P h ot o by Z or i a h
what is gentrific ation? Gen•tri•fi•ca•tion: any form of urban renewal that leads to the displacement of the residing community in a neighborhood. Wealthy businesses and residents move in and cause real-estate values to increase. The poorer residents who are unable to pay the increased rent and rising property taxes are forced to leave.
why should i c are?
a hum an dignit y issue The trend of urban renewal was
former residents are becoming
first identified as gentrification
marginalized in the social and
in the 1960s. It was noted that
economic aspect.
many of these “renewal efforts” only benefited developers and
N e ig h b o r ho o d c h a ng e
landlords. The current residents
is o f t e n i n t e r p r e t e d a s
found themselves trapped in
a g r o s s m is c a r r i ag e o f
untenable positions. Many of
s o c i a l j us t ic e .
them could not afford to leave the area voluntarily due to their
The wealthier (usually white)
personal circumstances, but they
newcomers are praised for greatly
also could not afford the raised
“ improving” a neighborhood where
rents imposed by landlords who
poor (usually minority) families
were seeking to cash-in on the
and residents are displaced.
gentrification efforts. Even though this issue appears Today. the term “gentrification”
merely political, Americans must
is often used negatively. Why?
face the reality that the effects run
Because any benefits from the
deeper than politics. At the heart,
gentrification process (such as
gentrification has become an issue
reduced crime, new investments,
of privilege, race, and most of all,
increased economic activity) is
of human dignity.
outweighed by the reality that
the most gentrified cities Initially, few people are willing to go into a place that forces them to cross class and racial lines. But once a few familiar faces are present, more are willing to move. Word travels that an attractive neighborhood has been “ discovered ” and then the changes begin to occur rapidly. #1: BOSTON The gentrification capital is more than 50% white with former Irish-Catholics displaced long ago. #2: SEAT T LE In 2000, white residents surpassed the number of black residents for the first time in 30 years. #3: NEW YOR K CIT Y Today, there’s incredible movement into places like Harlem and Crown Heights and N YC is the most expensive place to live in the United States. #4: SA N FR A NCISCO The recent tech industr y explosion has drawn unprecedented numbers of yuppies into the bay. #5: WASHINGTON D.C. Neighborhoods such as Anacostia and Columbia Heights are seeing “new parks” and “safer streets.” F r o m “ T h e s e 7 C i t i e s . . . ” b y Z a k C h e n e y- R i c e
PHOTO: View of I-35 in 1962, the road known as the de-facto boundary that isolated African-American residents.
GENTRIFICATION AT HOME
Aus t in, T e x a s AN EAST SIDE SHIFT For years, the separation between whites and East Austin residents was nearly palpable. Dr. Robert Jensen, a journalism professor at the University of Texas, has seen the change with his own eyes: “When I came here in 1992, my white colleagues quickly told me to not bother looking for a house on the east side of the interstate. That tells you how deeply woven into the fabric — not only of U.S. society, but also of the city of Austin — white supremacy is.” Today, downtown nearness and a retreating social stigma about East Austin has led to ver y rapid gentrification there. “We’re going to see an entirely different landscape, different ever ything happening....”
in the news: the jumpolin pinata demolition AUSTIN, TX — An East Austin
the business to “a house that was
piñata shop that was demolished
infested by roaches,” promises
has become the new center of the
that the site “will get cleaned up,
Austin gentrification debate.
landscaped, and beautified” like the high-end landscaping firm that
For the past eight years, Monica
is currently next door.
and Sergio, owners of Jumpolin, have been selling piñatas and
Yesterday’s community
party supplies from their small
laundromat can very
shop on the east side. One day
well be tomorrow’s high-
when Sergio was driving by, he saw crews tearing down their
end restaurant or cafÉ.
business — with ever y thing still
Businesses that have been serving
inside.
the traditional East Austin commu-
“We didn’t receive any notice,” monica said. It’s a bad look in a city whose racial issues are real and everpresent when new owners tear down a business that have been selling piñatas to children in a traditionally Latino neighborhood. And it’s an even worse look when one of those new owners gives an interview in which he implies that Monica and Sergio may have been drug dealers and, likening
nity are now constantly at risk of being replaced by those that are of less interest to longtime residents. Gentrification’s exclusivity can remain relatively hidden beneath the surface but when property owners go on the record talking about cleaning out “roaches”, the issue is brought out into the open in an extremely painful way and tensions escalate to the point where local Austinites must stop, listen, and face the problem.
the first step toward healing is to admit that we have a problem. #1. TALK WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS One of the best things you can do is to sit down and talk with each other. Without a connected community, every other solution is useless. #2. FIGHT FOR PUBLIC SPACES Fight for and try to save public areas like schools, parks and libraries. Make sure that homeless shelters and soup kitchens don’t get driven out by increasingly higher rent. #3. VOTE IN CITY ELECTIONS Be aware of proposals and policies being passed by your city officials. Use your voice and cast a ballot during local city elections.