So you just bought a house, and it's come to your attention that the neighborhood is not what it used to be. The positive changes attracted you to your new property, but you don't know how to show that you appreciate the authenticity of the community you've joined.
If you're not familiar with gentrification, you likely won't realize how you're negatively impacting your new community. Believe it or not, your major life events affect insurance rates and much more for everyone in your community.
We all are newcomers at some point, but being aware of gentrification will help you when buying into a neighborhood and becoming part of it.
What happens when neighborhoods gentrify?
The term "gentrification" is used to describe the urban development process of a wealthier class causing a socioeconomic change that results in the displacement of original occupants.
This socioeconomic issue was popularized by British sociologist Ruth Glass when studying working-class displacement as the middle-class of London grew.
In America, systemic oppression of marginalized communities fuel the issues that lead to why certain neighborhoods undergo the gentrification process. The gentrification phenomenon disproportionately affects communities of color and LGBTQIA populations, which is a direct ramification of practices like redlining and Jim Crow.
Let's look at some myths about gentrification.
Myth #1: Gentrification Is Good for Diversity
At first glance, a booming housing market bringing in different types of homeowners seems like a progressive step forward. However, this becomes a foreshadowing of an unfortunate shift soon to come for the neighborhood's original inhabitants.
This intuition that gentrification is on its way comes from generations of proven patterns that are forthcoming of the dismantlement of communities of color. Recently, the reactions to gentrification in documentaries such as "The Last Black Man in San Francisco" and series like Netflix's "Gentefied" have opened deeper discussions.
Diversity is not a true advantage of gentrification because the influx in diverseness is temporary. Demographics of a neighborhood begin to change rapidly as the background of what or who was originally there become outweighed or erased by new inhabitants.
Myth #2: Gentrification Creates Jobs
This isn't 100% false, but who gets the jobs is where this plus becomes a minus. What retailers join the area is another indicator of gentrification. Your realtor likely didn't hesitate to mention the nearby Starbucks, but who you see working there often isn't a reflection of the community.
Myth #3: Gentrification Adds Home Value
Increased home values aren't good for all homeowners because as prices rise, what once was affordable becomes unattainable. Home and property value is something any homeowner hopes will increase, but with gentrification, communal living costs go up, which forces people out.
Economic issues such as rising rent rates, mortgage, tax, unlivable minimum wage, and high costs of living are problems that directly cause increased homelessness. In addition, police presence typically grows as a community begins to undergo gentrification, resulting in more arrests and over-policing within communities of color.
New homeowners certainly don't control home insurance rates or tax dollar disbursement, but both of these things begin to affect a gentrifying neighborhood negatively.
For example, in these neighborhoods, it is common to see police budgets increase before public transportation or educational institutions. The increased police presence and increased crime rate cause increases in all insurance types, which cause financial strain on those trying to keep up.
Gentrification itself is a domino effect that impacts many people of color and LGBTQIA folks, which often leaves them feeling jaded when seeing these "communal improvements."
How do you avoid participating in gentrification?
The sensitive topic of gentrification can make joining a new community difficult, but as a homeowner, you can assimilate without participating in further disenfranchisement of original community members.
Research and Listen
You'll be surprised how much rich history is in your own backyard. There are many ways you can find out how your new neighborhood came to be by using resources such as the library, local businesses, and talking to long-term neighbors.
Finding out the history of your new neighborhood will be an eye-opening journey that can deeply connect you with your new home and neighbors. Ask what current problems the community faces and listen to what the members hope to preserve or prevent.
Understand Your Privilege
We all carry some form of social privilege, so find ways to use yours that benefit your new community. Identify what microaggressions and actions negatively impact those around you, and don't center yourself in communal meetings or message boards.
Sometimes we make mistakes without realizing how our actions affect different people, but by regularly engaging with the community, you will learn what is offensive.
Be an Active Community Member
If you are not into politics or voting, now is the time. Being an active community member doesn't just mean sharing your extra cookies but looking out for everyone's best interest.
What is happening in your neighborhood that could potentially cause gentrification or further displace original residents? What laws or politicians involve your community? If you don't currently know, a social privilege you hold could be why.
Put effort into preserving the history and current community you've joined so that your presence is actively improving where you live.
Has anything been done to stop gentrification?
Unfortunately, when it comes to gentrification, there isn't the possibility to be neutral.
By not addressing that your ownership itself could be problematic for others around you, you actively contribute to gentrification. Thankfully, there can be help from the government, and the blame is not always on newcomers.
Lawmakers have created laws to stop or limit gentrification and its adverse side effects. A few states, such as California, have enacted laws like the Mills Act that help preserve historic properties. These acts can be influential but often have specific qualifications and come with heavy limitations on homeowners.
Many cities that are currently undergoing mass gentrification have grassroots organizations dedicated to community preservation. The top cities to note where gentrification is the most visible are Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; and Portland, Oregon.
Don't shy away if you've recently moved into a neighborhood that feels unwelcoming or suspicious of your presence. Instead, use these tips to become a part of your new home. The alternative to gentrification is not indifference or not buying a home you love, but accepting your new home and the community that comes with it.
The bottom line is, gentrification is an issue causing mass displacement and perpetuating other forms of systemic oppression. Being a new homeowner, you are either aiding in this act or helping stop it in its tracks.
It is up to you to choose.
About The Author : Danielle Beck-Hunter writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, 4AutoInsuranceQuote.com. Danielle is a long-time social activist and millennial homeowner in Atlanta, GA.
