This article, written by two St. Louis scholars, Todd Swanston and Hank Webber, examines the process of gentrification and analyzes its’ affects on St. Louis area neighborhoods. The authors acknowledge that gentrification typically carries with it negative connotations. The idea of gentrification is “the movement of young, often single, professionals into low-income, usually minority, neighborhoods near urban employment centers” (p.1). The dominant view is that this process typically displaces low-income residents as higher income residents move in and raise the cost of living in the area.
To better understand how gentrification has affected the St. Louis area, the authors looked at neighborhoods in the St. Louis area that had seen a decline and then a rebound in the years since 1970, according to census data. The neighborhoods that fit this criteria were the Central West End, Botanical Heights, Shaw, Mark Twain, and Maplewood. In evaluating the economic and racial diversity of these neighborhoods, the authors found that they retained high levels of economic and racial diversity compared to surrounding neighborhoods that had not rebounded.
The authors hypothesized that this could be due to a variety of causes, some of which include:
1. Extra available housing that did not require displacement of low-income individuals for higher income individuals to move in;
2. Availability of subsidized housing;
3. Diverse housing types which allowed low-income and high income people to afford houses in the same area;
4. Lower levels of racial intolerance than in the past
5. Support from civic groups to minimize tension caused by racial and economic divides
6. Young adults value diversity as a positive attribute to their neighborhoods
In the end, the authors questioned whether their findings could be generalized to other cities or if the negative effects of gentrification where inevitable in other places.
I agree with the article, and it is indeed true that genterifaction usually only effects minority communities. Gentrification does negative effect other cities as well. Coming from a community and regional planning background, I have read many case studies where many where displaced from there homes, promised by the developer that the neighborhood would be rebuit and that the current residents would be able to move back into their homes. However that never happened because the residents could no longer afford to stay there due to the development and updates. This is the reason why it was so hard fro me to find a job within my orginal field.
ReplyDeleteIt's very difficult sometimes to avoid the effects of those who practice "the Golden Rule"... "(S)he who has the gold, rules". If a private developer puts forth a proposal that can make money for a few, they usually have the power to make it happen, as in the case with redevelopment. Certain tax incentives also make the process easier and more attractive to developers. Also, politicians mostly jump on board since they like to be associated with progress and successful endeavours. So you end up with a juggernaut that can't be easily stopped by residents, activists and other concerned parties. Sometimes the process can be successful, like the redevelopment of Washington Ave in downtown St. Louis. But even this is having long-term consequences, as the newer residents are complaining about the amount of homeless staying at Larry Rice's New Life Center. Now the Center is having limits imposed upon it, and might not be able to adequately serve their clientele much longer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ebony and Kerry, too often development projects are proposed and completed with the intent to enhance and make a neighborhood more progressive, but many times creates housing that is no longer affordable for low-income residents. With example of the redevelopment of Washington Ave in downtown St. Louis, there is at least one other development project that was done with the intent to help low-income and homeless people. The 3010 Apartments developed by The Salvation Army can provide some relief to the overflow of homeless in need at the New Life Center. The 3010 Apartments provide residential drug and alcohol treatment, residential housing rehabilitation, community recreation programs, counseling services, health services, food and nutrition services, etc. The 3010 Apartments are actually having a dedication ceremony this weekend, February 28, 2015. I hope in the future that there are more development projects that keep in mind low-income residents so that they are not displaced and there can be more neighborhoods with high levels of economic and racial diversity like the Central West End and Maplewood.
ReplyDeleteActually, the dedication is Friday, February 27, 2015.
DeleteDuring undergrad, I had the opportunity to pursue a certificate in Urban Studies. As a part of that program, I lived in Chicago for a semester, taking classes & completing an internship. Throughout the semester we talked A LOT about gentrification. At the time, many neighborhood around Chicago were being gentrified. When I moved to St. Louis, I honestly thought it would be years before we saw gentrification in this city. I saw many vacant lots and space (something that doesn’t exist in some Chicago neighborhoods). However, over the last three years of living on the border of Southwest Gardens, Shaw, and Forest Park South East, I have seen some gentrification occur. I will say that I agree with the last two causes listed: the support of civic groups and young adults valuing diversity as a positive attribute to neighborhoods. Especially in the Shaw community, there seems to be a neighborhood drive to keep the diversity that currently exists.
ReplyDeleteI live in tower grove south. Though possibly less diverse to begin with, it does seem to be an area where people really value diversity. I think in the past gentrification meant that you didn't want the city to feel like the same city anymore- you wanted to completely change it. Out with the old, in with the new attitude, but I feel like times are changing, and people move to areas and develop areas because they like what is already happening there and the people and the culture that already exists. I think that has something to do with the minimization of the adverse effects of gentrification.
DeleteI think everyone makes an excellent point here. Clearly, with gentrification, the negatives have serious potential to outweigh the positives for members of that neighborhood. I agree with that undoubtedly. However, I do like this article a lot. It not only emphasizes that point but also provides examples of areas where gentrification, thus far, seems to be more positive than negative and points on WHY. I think the WHY is so important. If developers are aware of and sensitive to the six key elements that seem to have made these development more successful than others, outcomes will likely be better.
ReplyDeleteAnd of coarse it would also be really effective if developers worked with community organizations more often and actually spoke to the people of the community about what changes they wanted to see before doing it...