Rachel Michieli

4 February 2015
Prof. Evan Farr
UNST Portland 2071
Research Paper
Gentrification
Post-World War II, gentrification became a topic of much debate, and continued to be so into
the late 1990s. Though it has a crude and undesirable reputation there are many aspects that are
actually needed and alluring for communities that experience it. Though the topic is a dwindling
one when compared to its initial relevance from the 40s until the 90s there have been
statements, that in recent years the word gentrification has been Sugarcoated what was not so
long ago a dirty word (Tom Slater) Gentrification is not this horrendous monster that entraps
poverty stricken communities and then disbands them when they are through, the real problem
and resentment with gentrification arises when displacement happens, which often gets confused
with gentrification rather than being known as the rare, often times exaggerated, occurrence of
displacement. Both are completely different form each other, though there is correlation, there is
not always causation between these two. Both Liberals and Conservatives have taken stances on
gentrification, which in turn, validates its existence, the only thing about the two parties sides
that differ are how they look to reconcile the problems that have come up with gentrification.

From the Left, or Liberals side, there is the want for policy and community activists to step
up and defend their community. This was seen most recently in northeast Portland when a Trader
Joes was looking to open up a store within the section of northeast Portland. Trader Joes
instantly felt the backlash of their decision from the Portland African American Leadership
Forum (PAALF). PAALF objected the proposed development partly because it feared that the
new retail complex would eventually push up rental prices in the area and drive out the local
black community. (Palash Ghosh) This idea of driving out communities is what is commonly
known as the product of gentrification, its been given the name, displacement and according
to recent studies, it has been proven to be wildly exaggerated and doesnt, in truth, occur half as
much as those within power say it does. The original project that was drawn out by Majestic
Realty Co. was going to, not only include a Trader Joes, but also an $8 million retail complex
that would include 10 other retails and a 100-space parking lot, essentially creating a fresh, clean
and new shopping center in place of the run down vacant two-acre lot.

Though PAALF got its way, there were many who were very much looking forward to this
influx of new blood Those who opposed the PAALF opposition have come out upset with
them stating, They [PAALF] dont come to the neighborhood cleanups. They dont [even] live
here anymore (Palash Ghosh) This is a much broader problem within communities of mixed
minorities and cultures, most commonly; people associate displacement and gentrification with
the harm of the Black community, there is very little evidence that displacement is doing such a
thing. PAALF is speaking out of turn for the other minorities whom also have a say in what goes
on in their community, there needs to be more room for information and communication among
places of gentrification. This communication would help severely in clearing up some
mysteriousness and questions about gentrification and would prove to be useful in helping
communities experiencing gentrification to adapt and help, rather than stop the process of
economic wealth.
The Trader Joes incident is the perfect example to show the difference between the two
political parties ideas of depleting gentrification. Looking at the Liberals point of view, there is
no room for any new developments to come in and change what has been set in motion for
centuries now, change wont happen from the private sector, the government branches would
need to band together to fix the poverty gap that creates gentrification in the first place. The
problem with that mentality is that, most of the places experiencing gentrification are poverty
stricken areas whose last ditch efforts are bringing in some revenue other than locally owned
businesses and government subsides that barely keep the communities heads above water.

Taking the Conservatives point of view, the places that are more prone to gentrification need
to be given a fighting chance to keep their district alive. By bringing in revenue and money
through corporate companies, housing complexes that will appeal to the upper-middle class, and
other such businesses these communities will be giving those below the poverty line something
to be proud of and offer new job opportunities. The new influx of support and jobs would
provide those living in northeast Portland with a chance to economically stand on their own two
feet and give them a right to say what happens in their community.
Displacement
Gentrification, in its modern term and stripped of eloquence, is a word for upper-middle
class families moving in and driving out the minorities of America (African American, Latinos,
etc.) as stated previously, displacement is what is feared most when gentrification is brought up,
many believe that displacement is inevitable and cannot be stopped in places of gentrification,
however, recent studies have determined that gentrification is actually helping its communities.
So-called gentrifying neighborhoods appear to experience less displacement than nongentrifying neighborhoods. (John Buntin) Displacement is rare and almost always doesnt
happen as a result of upper-middle class families coming in and driving out the original
community.

Many worry that displacement will force those unable to afford the newly gentrified
community to move out, unfortunately the minorities that are most often affected by higher
housing prices are those within the African American community. There has been a surge of
support against gentrification by the Black community, however there is little to no evidence to
prove that it is the upper-middle class that is the driving force behind the movement of the Black
community, When the ethnic composition of low-income Black neighborhoods do change, its
typically because Latinos and other immigrants move into a neighborhood (John Buntin) There
is very little evidence to prove that displacement occurs as a direct result of gentrification and
that displacement is a result of the upper middle class economists found no evidence that poor
people moved out of gentrifying neighborhoods at a higher than normal rate (John Buntin)
In a 2010 study done by the University of Colorado-Boulder, economist Terra McKinnish
with help from Randall Walsh and Kirk White found that black high school graduates [also] saw
their incomes rise (Terra McKinnish, Randall Walsh, Kirk White.) John Buntin responded to
the study by stating, In short, black households with high school degrees seemed to benefit from
gentrification. (John Buntin) In most cases, the immigration influx among Latinos and other
immigrants is at such a large number, because of gentrification. Gentrification created
neighborhoods that were attractive to minority households, particularly households with children
or elderly homeowners. (John Buntin) When a large inflow of economic success and
opportunity for wealth occurs, people will flock to the money and chance at making something
of themselves.
Economic Success In Relation To Community Success

In more than half of all cases of gentrification, the sole problem with each city to be
gentrified is its economic stronghold and ability to support itself. More often than not, the cities
that are gentrified are very much in need of the revenue from outside sources, gentrification has
the ability to help not only the job market, but the housing market as well due to the idea that
where there are jobs, people will go and look for places to move to cut down on commute time
and save money, gentrification at least improves the quality and utility of the prime real estate
in our knowledge economy hubs. (Aaron Jacobs) Much like the Trader Joes proposal that
occurred in northeast Portland.
When looking at towns, cities, and suburbs that have been gentrified, one would not notice
the changes right away. When such decay is so prevalent in a place, it takes much more than
several years to regenerate a successful community, some of these communities have in fact been
in the process of gentrification since post-world war II, A scattering of neighborhoods, only
recently regarded as hopelessly decayed, have experience visible regeneration, most often
without material government assistance. (William Grigsby) Though its a slow process in more
cases than not, the process of regeneration is so needed in most theses communities that it is
worth the wait, for even if the first generation that experienced gentrification did not get to reap
the benefits, their children and childrens children will reap those benefits they worked so hard to
provide for their families and see the great success of structural renewal first hand.

Most commonly, government assistance goes hand in hand with these places that are only
now just seeing the visible changes within the communities, this leads to a splitting in the path,
gentrification seems to happen on two levels, the first, and most common, the private sector
(housing developments, corporate chains, etc.) The second, and least talked about option
involves government interaction within failing communities. There are a couple differences in
the previous two types of gentrification, among other things, the most common difference lies
within their political affiliations with each source of regeneration and which party would choose
to affiliate with. The Liberals would almost always choose the side of government, and the
Conservatives would take the side of the private sector. There are also differences between the
two types when it comes to how the regeneration occurs, these differences are most commonly
represented by the lack of corporate chains and in their place, government owned jobs (postoffices, federal aid buildings, etc.) they provide secure jobs, steady income, and benefits,
regarding community regeneration, they do very little to regenerate economic success within its
given community, given that most of the profit goes to the government rather than its
employees. With the help of the private sector, steady jobs are created at a much faster rate due to
the ability for promotions of a much greater value than those within government jobs. Along with
a secure job and opportunity for promotion, there is a steady income, and instead of the extra
money from each term going to the government, the employees of said businesses see this in
their bonus checks. The Private sector seems to work best due to the fact that there is less red
tape to cut through, and greater room for success and upward movement within the job that is
being done.
Gentrification Within Portland

Portland is known as one of the most Liberal and Progressive cities within American, so its
not surprising to hear that gentrification is such large and highly discussed topic for debate.
Though it is such a, socially, progressive community, looking at its socio-economic diversity
forces Portland to look in on itself and reevaluate whom its really appealing to and inquire about
the what the policies they are putting into place are actually doing to help what is now commonly
referred to as the whitest city in America (Nikole Hannah-Jones). With only 1% of Portland
being made up of African Americans, gentrification, in its modern sense, has very little room to
prove its disparities, A model U.S city, Portland Oregons progressive policies are often credited
with making it highly livable, with a vibrant urban core. Yet theses policies have not protected
Portland from broader trends that have increase urban poverty over the past several decades in
the U.S (Andrew Butz) As previously stated, gentrification and displacement do not go hand in
hand, however, gentrification and economic imbalance very much have a direct correlation. The
problem with Portlands idea of gentrification is that the same people that are throwing bricks at
gentrification are also the ones building it up. The modern Portland has fondly been termed A
place where the young come to retire this is creating a varied group of neighborhoods that
consist of young wealth and old poverty, leaving tensions high and want for change on both sides
of the street. Portlands policy makers have decided to put in place, a goal for increased equity
through the Portland Plan (The City Of Portland), this plan, will in effect, make sure those
living in gentrification vulnerable places have protecting against the very thing that will help
them. This policy aims to protect the urban areas that have low economic status and are virtually
open for the taking by any corporation, private or governmental. Looking back at the Trader
Joes incident, PAALF was very much a strong opposition against it, and they won. There is still
enough fight within these communities, that polices on gentrification would only do more harm

than good, by factoring out the economic opportunity that could bring these areas out of the
vulnerable to gentrification status.
Solution
When looking at the neighborhoods that have been so affected by poverty and loss of a
sense of community, there seems to be a common theme of despair and loss of hope. In the
movie, The Northeast Passage: The Inner City and The American Dream, viewers follow the life
of a mother and her daughter while they try to combat the forces of the struggle of low income
and living in a single parent household, as well as keeping a positive head about their lives all the
while drug use, criminal activity, and gang related violence is happening all around the, The
women whom we are following, Nikki Williams, works actively within her community in hopes
of turning over her community to provide a better future for her child. The documentary was
made in early 2000s and still rings true to this day about the adverse affects of poverty and what
government housing, subsides, policies and lack of knowledge about what it is that gentrification
actually does in cities that are in dire need of help from the private sector.

The problem that so many of these communities have to face with poverty, is in part
created because of the governments force of hand in everything economic related within these
communities. At one point within the documentary Nikki was asked what she thought was more
important, Government issued affordable rental homes or real life home ownership, without
hesitation Nikki stated, Ownership (The Northeast Passage) she believe that with ownership
comes responsibly, maturity and in turn creates a sense of something to be proud of, which
ultimately relates to the sense of hope and community that most of these areas need in just as
much as they need economic success. Nikki then goes on to talk about the flaw with government
assisted housing stating, Just because they are owned by CDCs or nonprofits, how many people
of those people live in the community (The Northeast Passage) Much like the PAALF did
within Northeast Portland just this year, the people whom are boycotting and strong advocates
against gentrification are not aware or present in the current situation, they are looking at things
from the outside looking in, all the while those who are struggling within the communities are
forced to watch every other city and town reap the benefits of the process that was vetoed.

Though Nikki is the main voice within the documentary, there are brief periods of
interviews form others living in the neighborhood, at one point Mr. Leonard Smith, a local
business owner was interviewed about his view on the affordable rental houses being built by the
City of Portland, he commented, They bring problems back by bringing that shelter house right,
and they brought drugs in it and I work to clean it up. Then all of the sudden the PCD loan them
some money give them the money, I dont care how they get it, they giving them free money
man, their bringing the problem, I hate that. Im sorry (The Northeast passage) When the
government gives money and housing out, its typically inexpensive and in places of strife. Mr.
Smiths main frustration seems to come from the fact that, he works hard and lives a decent life,
while these people moving into the CDC Housing are bringing drugs, more poverty, and
essentially more problems and they are getting paid to do so.
Towards the end of the documentary the film crew went around and filmed thoughts
about low income housing within theses areas and one elderly business owner, stated Low
income housing brings all the problems, the crime, the majority of the low income broke me on
this corner, they dont spend any money on me all they do is bring the problems. (The
Northeast Passage) There is a growing problem with poverty within these communities,
especially in Portland, that the need for gentrification is so prevalent many are beginning to beg
for it, Nikki stated boldly at the end of document how she felt about gentrification, having to see
day after day the struggle of poverty, crime, and violence she has all but given up hope in
government subsides, so as far as gentrification, I still say let it come, call it what you want, let
it come, please. (The Northeast Passage)

As stated previously, I whole heartily agree that the private sector is the only thing that
can help the cities that have been so harshly afflicted like the Northeast Passage. The solution
doesnt lie within a policy, law, or fight against The Man it comes from the need to build up
those below the poverty line, which happens only when the government stays out of policies
regarded housing, social issues, and generally anything that doesnt involve the safety of the
American people. I am not stating that charitable donations and the building of houses by non
profit organizations are bad, those are innately some of the greatest projects one can do that will
actually help the community as well as build it up to something to believe in. Nikki was provided
a house by Habitat for Humanity, a non-for profit organization dedicated to helping those in need
and she was very grateful for that, but even she understood what home ownership does for the
spirit and the community.
The Northeast Passage provided a more than abundant source of information as to both
the want and need for gentrification in areas that have fallen on rough times. Not once in this
documentary was displacement brought up or even mentioned as an effect of gentrification, as
stated in my first paragraph, displacement and gentrification have correlation, but not causation
and even when correlation is found, it is few and far between and happened over many years of
high tension and bleak economic climates. Gentrification, when done right and without the use of
government assistance has the potential to revitalize and create a place worthy of life. Its a
miniature version of the American dream, those in need, will flock to places that can provide
opportunity and hope and in a stable economy there is ample amount of room to make something
of one-self and achieve the American dream that so many have sought after.