Gentrification May Improve Neighborhoods

A recent study by Lance Freeman of Columbia University suggests that gentrification may not be the dirty word most think it is. He concludes, contrary to popular belief, that few low-income residents are forced out of their neighborhoods as typically white, affluent residents move in. In fact, in some areas, low-income residents are more likely to remain in gentrifying neighborhoods, as improved safety, city services, and more jobs make them more attractive places to live. Despite this new information, most remain hostile towards gentrifiers. "All you have to do is talk to people around here," says James Lewis, a tenant organizer in Harlem, New York's most famous black neighborhood. "Everybody with money is moving into Harlem, and the people who are here are being displaced." Whether this observation is actually true remains to be seen.