Poll of the Day > Is gentrification one of those things co-opted by the racists...

(+) Yeah! (+)

Or was it always about displacing the poor?

...

Context: I've always known gentrification to be a good thing as it generally increases the quality of life of everyone in the area... however, I'm from Canada where urban planning doesn't involve putting bumps on benches to keep homeless from sleeping on them (except in Toronto)

I am aware of the modern racist context of gentrification in america, but I wanna know if it was ALWAYS like that in America or if gentrification did start with legitimate urban osmosis.

---

Lokarin posted...

I'm from Canada where urban planning doesn't involve putting bumps on benches to keep homeless from sleeping on them (except in Toronto)

ok well, this is is not true

---

Gentrification basically just prices people out of their neighborhoods. Paying people wages that doesn't let them afford the food their place of work sells. I don't see how it has anything to do with race, the idea is nice for people but the practice is less than ideal.

TheWitchMorgana posted...

ok well, this is is not true

This is why I'm asking - I've known only benefits from it, despite being poor.

---

It goes like this. People live in an area. Low income people get bused/section 8. Crime goes up, the working folks leave. The area goes to complete shit. Property values drop. 'Creative types' move in because its cheap to live there. Yuppies see this and want the 'authenticity' and start to buy up the properties. The poor people who lived there can no longer live there and get moved/section 8 to an area outside the city. The once 'vibrant' area becomes a sterile zone of coffee shops, clothing stores, and chain retail.

Happened to NYC and SF. Is happening to Oakland. As property values increase in the Bay Area the poorer areas are being overran. About ten years ago the city of Antioch had a large section of its city set up for Section 8. That city got filled up with people from Oakland who could no longer afford to live there.

---

But I like coffee shops, clothing stores and chain retail :L

---

Lokarin posted...

But I like coffee shops, clothing stores and chain retail :L

Then you are part of the problem.

---

KnoxKorner posted...

Then you are part of the problem.

Well, the alternative is cows, horses and chickens... I don't mind, but I prefer retail

---

Like, when I was outside of the city I remember when we got our second gas station... it did nothing but BENEFIT everyone

How is that bad!?

---