Benfield questions the widely accepted models of urban renewal and attempts to rationalize their successes and failures. He cites examples from the Bronx and Boston, and examines redevelopment along Georgia Avenue, Washington DC in depth.
Benfield concludes that a concerted effort to keep existing residents in gentrifying neighborhoods, alongside the new, should be the primary goal for planners. They are jointly responsible for enabling original residents' active engagement in shaping the renewal process, and have the ability to avoid opposition and conflict.
