DISCUSSION ITEM
SPONSOR: City Council Member Delarian Wiggins
SUBJECT:
title
GENTRIFICATION
end
SUMMARY:
According to the Urban Displacement Project: Gentrification is defined as a process of neighborhood change that includes economic change in a historically disinvested neighborhood, by means of real estate investment and new higher-income residents moving in; as well as demographic change, not only in terms of income level, but also in terms of changes in education level or racial make-up of residents.
While a complex topic, three key things to consider when thinking of gentrification are:
1. The historic conditions, especially policies and practices that made communities susceptible to gentrification
2. The way that central city disinvestment and investment patterns are taking place today as a result of these conditions
3. The ways that gentrification impacts communities.
While increased investment in an area can be positive, gentrification is often associated with displacement, which means that in some of the communities, long-term residents are not able to stay and benefit from new investments in housing, healthy food access or transit infrastructure. Another impact of displacement to consider is cultural displacement. Even for long-time residents who are able to stay in newly gentrifying areas, changes in the make-up and character of a neighborhood can lead to reduced sense of belonging or feeling out of place in one’s own home.
Protection of residents, production of affordable housing, and preservation of existing affordable housing stock are all key pieces of preventing displacement. (Urban Displacement Project, Gentrification Explained. Urbandisplacment.org/gentrification-explained)
This item seeks to discuss the impacts of gentrification and an opportunity for Council to discuss what will be necessary to develop a road map and strategic plan to engage and empower low income and minority neighborhoods and individuals to live, work and thrive in the communities that belong to them and that they call home.
PRIOR ACTION:
March 11, 2021 - City Council passed an action to refer the matter of an Analysis of Gentrification Due to Urban Revitalization to the CRA.
STAFF CONTACT:
Don Kraher, Council Executive
ATTACHMENTS:
None
PRESENTATION: No