We hear it all the time. Low income, often immigrant, blue-collar neighborhoods being turned into hipster playgrounds. This has affected most cities across the nation, but perhaps none more than NYC. From the South Bronx to Brooklyn, Lower East Side to Queens, hipsters and yuppies move in, drive up the rents and drive out their poorer neighbors. It appears that the Dominican stronghold of Washington Heights is joining that list. You can read more in this NYTimes article.
Is this a bad thing? Probably, but that isn't the point, it is happening all over the place and will continue to happen whether it is 'good' or 'bad'. Remember, the decision maker here is profit. If someone can make a buck and it so happens that others are displaced so be it. That is just an inevitable inconvenience. But what do those of us who are bothered by this change to do? Remember, this movement isn't caused by Dominicans 'moving on up' because of an increase in their incomes, they're being forced out because of rising rents.
What to do? Probably nothing. Visit Washington Heights as a tourist, grab a bite to eat, sip some coffee, have a beer or three, take a photo and move on.
I am not bothered by this because I'm a post-modern liberal who decries not merely the injustice but the loss of some authentic ethnic-enclave which is more 'real' than my suburban roots will ever be. Okay, I sorta am. But what really bothers me is the displacement of the working class and the continued homogenization of our culture. Do we really want our cities to be yuppie and hipster playgrounds of consumption?
I suggest that our society does want everything to be like a mall and if there are losers along this path so be it. Just pray you're on the winning side or else you'll find yourself living in a ghetto suburb without a mall or be doing time in prison.
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3 comments:
Gentrification may be a bad thing in culturaly distinct working-class neighborhoods like the one you're talking about. But here on the north side of Pittsburgh, I'll take anykind of improvement I can get. Rising property values may drive out some low-income residents, but unless the city forks over some cold cash, the project housing is here to stay. The new influx of taxible income would benefit the horrible schools we have on this side of town, so I see it as a plus. It may not be ideal but anything is better than abandoned buildings, porn theaters, "trap" houses (crack houses), and weed infested vacaant lots. Keep on bloggin' in the free world.
peace.
I tend to agree that the yuppies and associated condo dwellers are great for the city because they contribute needed tax dollars. But the loss of culturally distinctive neighborhoods is to be morned. Plus, (as Hartford is showing) ethnic enclaves, Latino as well as the usual Little Italy, can be used for tourism.
However, gentrification may often drive out the poor to other neighborhoods or nearby towns/boroughs which are even poorer than the city and lack the large base of resources cities have. Though this isn't what the NYTimes is referring to.
Onto the North Side, I thought they finally lost the porn theater. No? What would it take to gentrify or fix up that neighborhood I don't know. A casino or stadium is obviously useless. Maybe some start-up craft industries (though they could never compete with Chinese labor costs. Sad to note that Pittsburgh ranks #1 for black male unemployment in the Northeast and Midwest, topping even horrific places like Milwaukee and Detroit!
But back to the Northside, the ugly highways cut up the neighborhood and keep it from downtown and there is no influx of jobs in the city to attract yuppies.
I still think the best thing Pittsburgh can do is to set up a 30 year plan for abandonment and reclaim the city lands as forest. A few other truly declining regions like Buffalo, Flint, and much of Michigan, Western Maryland, and West Virginia could simply relocate their populations to booming areas like the Carolinas and Wyoming while those that stay are housed in trailers as they care for elderly residents over 65 (who can die where they grew up if they want to) and others not caring for the elderly are paid to disassemble the city, sell the scrap to China, and plant trees.
that idea is perfect! If this model works, perhaps we could use it to remedy the age old conflict in the holy lands--reforest jerusalem and give each involved party their own new jerusalem somewhere in america's empty western states.
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