Who gentrifies low-income neighborhoods?

Abstract

This paper uses confidential Census data, specifically the 1990 and 2000 Census Long Form data, to study demographic processes in neighborhoods that gentrified during the 1990’s. In contrast to previous studies, the analysis is conducted at the more refined census-tract level, with a narrower definition of gentrification and more closely matched comparison neighborhoods. Furthermore, our access to individual-level data with census tract identifiers allows us to separately identify recent in-migrants and long-term residents. Our results indicate that, on average, the demographic flows associated with the gentrification of urban neighborhoods during the 1990’s are not consistent with displacement and harm to minority households. In fact, taken as a whole, our results suggest that gentrification of predominantly black neighborhoods creates neighborhoods that are attractive to middle-class black households.

Is urban decay bad? Is urban revitalization bad too?

“…Estimated price changes in the wake of neighborhood quality change are modest by comparison, implying that for most renter households improvements in neighborhood quality are unambiguously beneficial. These conclusions confirm more descriptive analyses of the impacts of gentrification and other neighborhood quality change (Vigdor, 2002;Braconi and Freeman, 2004;McKinnish et al, 2010). They also support recent quasi-experimental evidence that price changes in response to improvements in local environmental conditions are weak (Greenstone and Gallagher, 2008).…”

The Consequences of Gentrification for Racial Change in Washington, DC

“…While gentrification is sometimes associated with increases in racial diversity and does not necessarily lead to displacement (Freeman, 2005(Freeman, , 2009Freeman & Braconi, 2004;McGee, 2010;McKinnish, Walsh, & White, 2010;Vigdor, Massey, & Rivlin, 2002), many researchers claim it prices out long-term residents and brings about black-to-white racial change (Atkinson, 2004;Kennedy & Leonard, 2001;Kirkland, 2008;Lee & Wood, 1991;LeGates & Hartman, 1982;Smith, 2002;Urban Habitat Program, 2001;Wyly & Hammel, 2004).…”

“…Some scholars also argue that gentrification encourages blacks to migrate to other parts of a metropolitan area (Glick, 2008;Kirkland, 2008). While some researchers find that gentrification has displaced poor, disadvantaged populations (LeGates & Hartman, 1986;Newman & Wyly, 2006;Wyly, Newman, Schafran, & Lee, 2010), others see little evidence for such a claim (McKinnish et al, 2010;Vigdor et al, 2002).…”

“…Depending on the data available, researchers interested in quantifying the number of people who had to move against their will have generally employed one of J. Jackson 354 two methods. The first method examines mobility patterns and the degree to which moving patterns in gentrifying neighborhoods are indicative of displacement (Freeman & Braconi, 2004;McKinnish et al, 2010;Vigdor et al, 2002). One major disadvantage to analyzing the characteristics of in-movers versus out-movers is that one does not usually know the reasons individuals left an area.…”

Developing a model for Transit Oriented Development in Latino Immigrant Communities: A National Study of Equity and TOD

“…That is, how do you actually measure gentrification? There is also a wealth of literature in this regard (Gould, Ellen and O'Regan, 2011;Freeman, 2005;McKinnish, Walsh, and White, 2010). These researchers want to have a definitive line to be able to pinpoint where gentrification is happening and use that as a baseline for discussions of gentrification.…”