Gentrification in American Cities
Gentrification is defined as the process by which the white middle class moves in and begins to integrate with minority neighborhoods (Lees 155). Gentrifiers, on the other hand, prefer areas already occupied by fellow whites and are less interested in Latino, Asian, and African American neighborhoods. Gentrification is a major phenomenon in the United States and other places worldwide. The term relations is less generally understood, and people argue whether gentrification is a blessing or a curse for city dwellers. Historically, gentrification had less of an impact on American cities than immigration and suburbanization. Gentrification, on the other hand, has managed to rapidly reshape several cities, including San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle, since 1970. The districts of Georgetown, Greenwich Village and French Quarter became import architectural and cultural cities in America. In France and Canada, the gentrification brings similar consequences. Gentrification is, therefore, compared to suburbanization as a historical trend that shaped American metropolis in the turn of the twentieth century. This paper analyzes gentrification in American cities compared to other cities around the world.
Gentrification Accelerators in the USA
In recent decades, immigration into American cities has been on a sharp increase. Consequently, immigration continues to cause shifts in the racial and ethnic composition of the various American cities. In recent years, the American population had a growing need to pursue urban lifestyles. The Americans gentrification rate since 2000, the census is at 20%, compared to 10% in the 1990s. The rapid gentrification can be attributed to slower economic growth. The District of Columbia, for instance, had increased rates of gentrification in the last 17 years. During 1990, the district was dubbed as the United States’ ‘murder capital.’
Since the 1970s, the 23 large cities in the United States experienced socioeconomic and demographic changes (Hackworth 113). The gentrified neighborhoods became multiethnic and struggled economically. The ethnicity matters as early presence of Presence of Asian residents related to gentrification but the same was not true about the expanding Hispanic population and presence. The Hispanics occupied struggling economically and the distress escalated as more Hispanic came into these cities. Seattle, for instance, was less diversification but has risen to become one of the significant immigration destinations. Chicago on the other hand, was a key gateway for the other population especially the Latinos. Today, one-third of the population in Chicago comprises of Latino. The areas occupied by Latino in Chicago experiences slowed gentrification rates (Diane 1). In Seattle however, immigration influx of other population especially the Asians contributed to further gentrification in the city.
Gentrification in Canadian Cities
Canada records over six hundred arrivals every day since the year 2006. The immigrants settle in areas such as Richmond, BC in Vancouver. In the past, the southern end of Vancouver was very quiet and supported large-scale farming. Today, the region has become the second largest home to the Asian Community in North America. The strip malls are like a haven for dim sum. The vans in Richmond are labeled in Chinese Characters and have more than a hundred and fifty Asian-friendly malls similar to Shanghai city (National Post). The Immigrants from China first settled in Chinatown, a densely populated town. The recent surveys’ indicates that the pollution of the Chinese immigrants occupies a sprawling China lands. The people opened restaurants, supermarkets, and self-contained houses.
Similarly, the Indo-Canadians and the South Asians have a booming settlement on the outskirts of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal and resource-rich center of Prairies. According to statistics, immigrants will contribute to overall Canadian population growth by the year 2030 (National Post). The ethnic enclaves will fill up faster compared to any other time in the country’s history. Ethnic enclave comprises of European Jews in Kensington Market, Ukrainians farming in Alberta and Irish Catholics in Montreal (Murdie and Teixeira 1). Canada had very few neighborhood ethnic enclaves by the year 1980. However, the situation changed and 260 ethnic mushroomed over the last 3 decades (National Post). Unlike the ghettos found in France and United States, ethnic communities are made through volunteering and choice. People voluntarily move to these impoverished areas to start a new life. However, economic factors influence the concentration of immigrants into ghettos or ethnic enclaves.
Gentrification in the French City of Paris
Paris is one of the most diversified cities in the world. The city grew from French migration from the rural areas into the city during the 19th century. Other immigrants from southern Europe and other parts of the world came into Paris during the 20th century. The World War II led to the dismantling of French empire and led to great waves of immigration. Today, Paris hosts over 20% of foreign-born citizens compared to the 8.4 % of the countries immigrants (Vivant 11). Nevertheless, the city of Paris is divided into major regions of south-western and north-eastern. The high-income earners come from the south-western part. The north-eastern part is marginalized with higher levels of unemployment. In recent years, the north-eastern region attracts middle-class and middle-upper class population leading to gentrification (Vivant 12).
The 18th and 19th districts have populations that earn the lowest medium levels of income. The districts are found in the north-eastern part and were famous for craft and old industries. The government introduced new city policies of national and local urban renewal under the French government cohesion program (Vivant 14). The target areas included Chapelle, Flandres neighborhoods. The area comprises of higher rates of foreign-born, youth, unemployed and Parisian population. Goutte d’Or receives the highest numbers of foreign immigrants (Vivant 12). The governments wanted to improve the area’s quality of living and preserving social mix. The Parisians would have equal access to social services, free from discrimination and get quality employment. The multiethnic of Chapelle, Flandres and Goutte d’Or is evident in restaurants and shops in this locality. Many of the businesses attract various clients from outside the districts thus contributing to gentrification.
Implications of Gentrification
There is a clear link between gentrification and displacement of low-income earners from the city neighborhoods. The gentrifiers are the beneficiaries in terms of enhanced neighborhood amenities and home equity (National Post). The displaced populations become less desirable and bear the burden of gentrification. The gentrification in Toronto, Canada, led to the middle-class introduction of neo-liberal government policies aimed at rehabilitating physical quality of South Parkdale (Murdie and Teixeira 1). The changes never benefit the recent immigrants into the area. The boom in immigration leads to swelling of ethnic enclaves and segregation (National Post).
The gentrification in United States cities is detrimental to the minority population. The minority as the low-income earners and poor are easily displaced by the middle-class residents. Gentrification occurs in some income blighted African American neighborhoods and locales with an increasing Hispanic population. These areas remain impoverished due to marginalization (Lees and Ley 12). The neighborhoods attracting the Asian population have a growing ethnic diversification along with gentrification. However, the immigration of more Latinos complements gentrification only in cities where Latinos are not marginalized.
Conclusion
Gentrification is seen as the political vehicle that will bring about urban revitalization. The civic leaders have hopes that these phenomena may change the completion of the cities. However, evidence on the ground indicates that urban charges may isolate the marginalized communities such as Latinos and poor African Americans. Consequently, the cities will have rapid racial inequality and segregation (Lees 155). The urban policy makers must ensure that they devise fresh thinking towards protecting the displacement of the minority population. The policies will ensure that houses are affordable to all including the low-income households. Ultimately, the cities will have blighted and revitalized urban neighbors. Immigration and gentrification are not panaceas.
Works Cited
Grams, Diane. Producing Local Color: Art Networks in Ethnic Chicago. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010. Internet resource.
Hackworth, Jason R. The Neoliberal City: Governance, Ideology, and Development in American Urbanism. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2007. Print.
Hopper Tristin. Canada As Immigration booms, Ethnic Enslaves swell and segregate. (National Post). Accessed from the web
Lees, L. “The Geography of Gentrification: Thinking Through Comparative Urbanism.” Progress in Human Geography. 36.2 (2012): 155-171. Print
Lees, Loretta, and David Ley. “Introduction to Special Issue on Gentrification and Public Policy.” Urban Studies. 45.12 (2008): 2379-2384. Print.
Robert Murdie and Carlos Teixeira. The Impact of Gentrification on Ethnic Neighbourhoods in Toronto: A Case Study of Little Portugal. 2011. Accessed from http://neighbourhoodchange.ca/wp-content/uploads//2011/06/Murdie-Teixeira-2011-Gentrification-Toronto-Little-Portugal-UrbStud.pdf
Vivant, Elsa. The (re)making of Paris As a Bohemian Place?Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2010. Print.
