Does Gentrification Need to be a Bad Word?

Gentrification has come to signify wealthier residents pushing lower-income residents out of a community, but gentrification also has some "undeniable upsides". Ward 8 in Washington D.C. offers a glimpse into how gentrification can aid a community.

1 minute read

December 28, 2011, 11:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Reconciling the two edges of that sword -- improvement versus displacement -- is becoming a more urgent issue with each passing year as cities continue to rapidly transform. Rather than being seen as an injustice, can gentrification correct an injustice by returning prosperity to a long-neglected neighborhood?", asks author Will Doig.

"Gentrification has changed large swaths of D.C. in recent years, from Columbia Heights to H Street. Most recently, change has been trickling into the city's poorest area, Ward 8, a district in Southeast Washington that's the home to former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry.... Ask two Washingtonians what they think of these changes - even two people from the same neighborhood - and you can get two very different responses."

Thanks to Cate Miller

Saturday, December 24, 2011 in Salon.com

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