Comments on: On Gentrification, and Guilt http://idealistnyc.wordpress.com/2008/08/06/gentrification-makes-me-sad-no-it-makes-me-happy-oh-wait-it-makes-me-sad/ Helping Good Ideas Travel in the Five Boroughs Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:06:26 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Dan http://idealistnyc.wordpress.com/2008/08/06/gentrification-makes-me-sad-no-it-makes-me-happy-oh-wait-it-makes-me-sad/#comment-95 Dan Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:46:21 +0000 http://idealistnyc.wordpress.com/?p=430#comment-95 Although I can't say that I'm surprised to see such hostile comments on a message board, especially when talking about an issue laced with racial undertones, I share your disappointment that no one even thought to suggest a way to make the situation better. It was as if both sides had already decided that cooperation of any kind would be impossible and that the only recourse, naturally, must result in name-calling. Maybe the hostility really is a product of such rapid change, owing to the fact that many people don't feel they belong to a community (either because they're moving in or being pushed out). I know that New York is not alone in that respect. It's happening faster in cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and of course here in Washington, DC. I read an article a few days ago about gentrification, and why it's actually a misnomer. It's better thought of as "demographic inversion," which means that not only are rich (and typically white) people moving into traditionally poorer downtown neighborhoods in cities across the country, but that they're also literally trading places with the poor people they replace. Majority-white communities in Prince Georges and Fairfax counties near DC now contain many poorer former DC residents, mainly black and latino residents, that can no longer afford to live near the city center. http://tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=264510ca-2170-49cd-bad5-a0be122ac1a9 I wish people would just take a deep breath and try to work together to make these rapid demographic changes as painless as possible. Although I can’t say that I’m surprised to see such hostile comments on a message board, especially when talking about an issue laced with racial undertones, I share your disappointment that no one even thought to suggest a way to make the situation better. It was as if both sides had already decided that cooperation of any kind would be impossible and that the only recourse, naturally, must result in name-calling.

Maybe the hostility really is a product of such rapid change, owing to the fact that many people don’t feel they belong to a community (either because they’re moving in or being pushed out). I know that New York is not alone in that respect. It’s happening faster in cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and of course here in Washington, DC.

I read an article a few days ago about gentrification, and why it’s actually a misnomer. It’s better thought of as “demographic inversion,” which means that not only are rich (and typically white) people moving into traditionally poorer downtown neighborhoods in cities across the country, but that they’re also literally trading places with the poor people they replace. Majority-white communities in Prince Georges and Fairfax counties near DC now contain many poorer former DC residents, mainly black and latino residents, that can no longer afford to live near the city center.

http://tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=264510ca-2170-49cd-bad5-a0be122ac1a9

I wish people would just take a deep breath and try to work together to make these rapid demographic changes as painless as possible.

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