'El Barrio Tours' Tells of Gentrification in Working Class Neighborhoods

Documentary filmmaker Alex Padilla tackled gentrification in East Harlem with the film, El Barrio Tours. Now Padilla is touring cities to tell the story of gentrification's impact on working class immigrant neighborhoods.

1 minute read

July 28, 2014, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Cassie Owens describes the premise of El Barrio Tours, which "[traces] the migration flows that brought people in and out of East Harlem, leading up to the Latino community living there and the newcomers who are changing the look of the neighborhood."

Padilla is quoted in the story describing how tEast Harlem's shifting demographics differ from past changes in the neighborhood: "so many different ethnic groups came through our hood because it’s been an affordable place for working-class immigrants. That it no longer is affordable to the working and middle class is the biggest change it has undergone over the past 100 years."

Following the critical success of the film, Padilla is touring the country, "looking at how gentrification is affecting communities in at least 15 other cities, including New Orleans, Austin, San Francisco and Vieques." Moreover, "[he’s] about a third of the way through and a follow-up film, El Barrio Tours: Gentrification USA, will be a compilation of what he’s learning along the way."

Sunday, July 27, 2014 in Next City

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.