The Potential of Gentrifying Cities

"Gentrification -- a middle- to upper-class remake of the inner city -- is gripping multiple Washington neighborhoods. The influx of empty nesters and young professionals with a taste for urban variety and excitement is also impacting cities ranging from Boston to Los Angeles, Atlanta to San Francisco.

The big new challenge: to keep affordable housing for low- to middle-income people, ranging from single mothers just off welfare to aspiring teachers, police officers, firefighters and clerks. All are being squeezed by building conversions, escalating rents and property tax hikes in the suddenly chic, newly targeted neighborhoods.

So what's to be done?"