Saving Gay Neighborhoods From Their Own Success

Once a force of gentrification themselves, gays and lesbians are increasingly being displaced from once queer urban enclaves that have become popular and upscale.

1 minute read

November 27, 2006, 8:00 AM PST

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"A few decades ago, straights in urban neighborhoods around the country were nervously watching a 'gay invasion' of their territory as local communities became gentrified by a property-buying influx of LGBT individuals."

"Now those same gay-friendly neighborhoods are threatened by a new wave of gentrification as real estate pressures displace longtime queer businesses and residents, threatening the identity of the "safe havens" created in the 1960s and 1970s."

The growing displacement will be the subject of a series of panel discussions at the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. The opening talk, 'Are Gay Neighborhoods Worth Saving,' will focus on gay neighborhoods such as the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco and the City of West Hollywood, CA, which have become desirable urban neighborhoods for gays and straights alike.

Thursday, November 23, 2006 in Bay Area Reporter

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