Why is gentrication bad?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
white flight was bad so now reverse white flight is bad. duh.
 

krunchykrome

Lifer
Dec 28, 2003
13,413
1
0
That's what they're trying to do to Baltimore City. I agree with the logic, I just don't believe in the success of it.
 

rivan

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2003
9,677
3
81
Gentrification is a term used by people with an attitude of entitlement.

They love improvements to the neighborhood, until it means a rent increase. Then it's class warfare. If you want to live somewhere indefinitely, buy the place - don't rent. Problem solved.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
It just sort of feels like nothing more than a fad appealing to trend setting gay men, artsy sort of people, and trendy 20 somethings with a lot of money to blow on rent.

Basically a pretty narrow demographic group consisting of people that likely don't have a family or kids and aren't going to "grow" the area.

You are still keeping away the families with children because these places have abysmal school districts and a few blocks off the beaten path is not really a place you want to be if you had a choice. So you aren't undermining the community at it's roots by bringing in new kids with a "non-urban" upbringing.

*EDIT*

My view comes from midwestern cities of 150k-500k in population that have faced the "white flight" out of the city cores and are now trying to renew the downtown areas.
 

davestar

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2001
1,787
0
0
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
That's what they're trying to do to Baltimore City. I agree with the logic, I just don't believe in the success of it.

you make it sound like local governments make coordinated efforts to gentrify poor areas. while they (the gov't) might offer some incentives, it's private companies and citizens that drive gentrification. gentrification has been occurring in nearly every city in america for ~10-15 years.

Gen X/Y'ers grew up, made some money, and wanted to escape the suburbs that they grew up in, so they moved to affordable places (read: the semi-poor areas of cities) and brought their standard of living with them.
 

krunchykrome

Lifer
Dec 28, 2003
13,413
1
0
Originally posted by: davestar
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
That's what they're trying to do to Baltimore City. I agree with the logic, I just don't believe in the success of it.

you make it sound like local governments make coordinated efforts to gentrify poor areas. while they (the gov't) might offer some incentives, it's private companies and citizens that drive gentrification. gentrification has been occurring in nearly every city in america for ~10-15 years.

Gen X/Y'ers grew up, made some money, and wanted to escape the suburbs that they grew up in, so they moved to affordable places (read: the semi-poor areas of cities) and brought their standard of living with them.

and there's nothing wrong with that; the theory behind this is that the educated professionals moving to these areas should influence the culture/standards in the area. The problem is that their standards of living don't hold well in these areas, and the young professionals are the one's left dissapointed.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
Originally posted by: rivan
If you want to live somewhere indefinitely, buy the place - don't rent. Problem solved.

uh, property taxes
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Originally posted by: vi edit
It just sort of feels like nothing more than a fad appealing to trend setting gay men, artsy sort of people, and trendy 20 somethings with a lot of money to blow on rent.

Basically a pretty narrow demographic group consisting of people that likely don't have a family or kids and aren't going to "grow" the area.

You are still keeping away the families with children because these places have abysmal school districts and a few blocks off the beaten path is not really a place you want to be if you had a choice. So you aren't undermining the community at it's roots by bringing in new kids with a "non-urban" upbringing.

*EDIT*

My view comes from midwestern cities of 150k-500k in population that have faced the "white flight" out of the city cores and are now trying to renew the downtown areas.

On the flip-side, these singles and young couples that move into an area get married/have kids and then demand that the school standards be raised, raising taxes for everyone and further gentrifying the area.
 

LS21

Banned
Nov 27, 2007
3,745
1
0
mcmansionization and suburbanization. i dont need a KB-house and starbucks in my neighborhood
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Originally posted by: vi edit
It just sort of feels like nothing more than a fad appealing to trend setting gay men, artsy sort of people, and trendy 20 somethings with a lot of money to blow on rent.

Basically a pretty narrow demographic group consisting of people that likely don't have a family or kids and aren't going to "grow" the area.

You are still keeping away the families with children because these places have abysmal school districts and a few blocks off the beaten path is not really a place you want to be if you had a choice. So you aren't undermining the community at it's roots by bringing in new kids with a "non-urban" upbringing.

*EDIT*

My view comes from midwestern cities of 150k-500k in population that have faced the "white flight" out of the city cores and are now trying to renew the downtown areas.

On the flip-side, these singles and young couples that move into an area get married/have kids and then demand that the school standards be raised, raising taxes for everyone and further gentrifying the area.

Not really. When kids enter the picture they move back out to the 4000 square foot McMansions on the outskirts along with all the other white people and the brand new shiny school districts.
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
In Denver, the LODO restoration improved the area substantially. They took an area of downtown that was ragged and crime ridden, brought in lots of developers, laid out a plan and implemented it. They brought in businesses, restaurants, urban living, etc... However, the folks living there already were basically pushed out when rents skyrocketed or leases weren't renewed, so they had to go somewhere (Aurora). Still though, Denver actually maintains pretty good diversity. The LODO project didn't homogenize the downtown area by any means, and like another poster said, that mixture of the classes in close proximity is part of what gives the city some vibrance.

Milwaukee is undergoing the same thing in the 3rd Ward. Nice lofts and businesses are coming in, but the area used to be Latino slum (Polish long before that), so where are all those people going, and how is the project affecting the metro area as a whole? (I think it's doing fine).
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Originally posted by: vi edit
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Originally posted by: vi edit
It just sort of feels like nothing more than a fad appealing to trend setting gay men, artsy sort of people, and trendy 20 somethings with a lot of money to blow on rent.

Basically a pretty narrow demographic group consisting of people that likely don't have a family or kids and aren't going to "grow" the area.

You are still keeping away the families with children because these places have abysmal school districts and a few blocks off the beaten path is not really a place you want to be if you had a choice. So you aren't undermining the community at it's roots by bringing in new kids with a "non-urban" upbringing.

*EDIT*

My view comes from midwestern cities of 150k-500k in population that have faced the "white flight" out of the city cores and are now trying to renew the downtown areas.

On the flip-side, these singles and young couples that move into an area get married/have kids and then demand that the school standards be raised, raising taxes for everyone and further gentrifying the area.

Not really. When kids enter the picture they move back out to the 4000 square foot McMansions on the outskirts along with all the other white people and the brand new shiny school districts.

Not in all cases. And what you just stated isn't true gentrification.
 

rivan

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2003
9,677
3
81
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: rivan
If you want to live somewhere indefinitely, buy the place - don't rent. Problem solved.

uh, property taxes

did you really expect him to think it all the way thru

So what's your solution, Mr. I've thought it all the way through?

Leave the neighborhood a dump? Face it - the neighborhoods that generate all the complaining about this are generally NOT well-taken care of. Discourage improvements to the neighborhood? Tell the couple that bought the house next to yours they can't put in granite countertops because you want their assessed value to stay low?

 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,738
126
Originally posted by: James3shin
discuss...I personally think it's a move in the right direction for communities.

gentrication :
old people are useless, and take up resources

 

ggnl

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2004
5,095
1
0
Originally posted by: rivan
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: rivan
If you want to live somewhere indefinitely, buy the place - don't rent. Problem solved.

uh, property taxes

did you really expect him to think it all the way thru

So what's your solution, Mr. I've thought it all the way through?

Leave the neighborhood a dump? Face it - the neighborhoods that generate all the complaining about this are generally NOT well-taken care of. Discourage improvements to the neighborhood? Tell the couple that bought the house next to yours they can't put in granite countertops because you want their assessed value to stay low?

Generally the municipality will require the developers to build low rent housing for the people expected to be displaced. The problem is that there's no money to be made in low cost housing, so the developers fight it tooth and nail, which results in only the bare minimum being done to accomodate the poor people.