Gentrification In Urban Areas

Words: 1192
Pages: 5

Within the past century, the United States has gone through tremendous social deterioration ranging from unemployment rates and poverty to enivroment and living conditions. Almost all urban places have specific area of ethnic neighborhoods. This is mainly due to the segregation between blacks and white. Blacks were kept in specific parts of the city in ethic neighborhoods called ghettos. This location was based upon who has previously lived there, when they arrived, income, and available space. Those with little to no income were forced to move into areas of low quality housing in poor neighborhoods. Just like the technology, neighborhoods are constantly changing. Throughout time, neighborhoods have been based on race and income. This …show more content…
Beginning in the 70’s, middle- and upper-middle-class family’s values and life styles had begun to change, moving into run down neighborhoods. These people were considered “Urban Pioneers.” They helped restore the ghettos which allowed for stability of the area because businesses were being funded by these new families. However, the lower class had been left with no place to go. For example, during this time, characteristics change and lofts in SoHo were transformed into housing for students, artists, and hippies. As the mid 80’s arrive, Pittsburg and California take action to improve cultural districts as well as introducing a market rate during the Ellis Act. According to nextcity.org, not only did Manhattan open its first Starbucks in the 90’s, it also listed an apartment for more then $2,000 sq. foot. When Hurricane Katrina hit and flooded New Orleans in 05’, it drove out lower class residents. After rebuilding, the area had become not only majority white, but a rise in the the residential class has been discovered (nextcity.org) In addition, gentrification caused Washington, D.C. to reduce the African American population in early 2011. In continuing to protect residents, in 2013 adopted a Longtime Owner Occupants Program which shielded against rising taxes of property. Gentrification had untimely improved the amount of poverty in the ghetto. Urban poverty has decreased within the past couple