Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gentrification

Exploring the "Dog Park" set.

wfrgms — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:31:44 -0800

Are "Dog Parks" a new indicator of urban gentrification? In the sense that the users of urban dog parks (dog friendly parks, where dogs can play leash-free) maybe more affluent, service workers, and participants in neighborhood revitalization.

I'm doing research on gentrification in Chicago, and I'm interested in novel indicators, or predictors of neighborhood change. (Starbucks has been done to death.)

Not really looking for anecdotes, but does anyone have any go-to links, news stories, and the like (citeable sources a plus) that I can examine? Any narrative would be useful.

I'm familiar with gentrifying parts of Chicago, but fuzzy on what neighborhoods in other cities are changing.

Bible quotes for a play

pipti — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:36:25 -0800

Working on a play. A character--a minister--makes a passing comment about the evils of gentrification. I'd like him to wryly refer to...[insert Bible quote here]. Any ideas? This minister reverses himself later, if it matters.

Will we be unwelcome in Bronzeville?

applemeat — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:15:48 -0800

Seeking advice and opinion about moving to Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. My husband and I are considering a move from our northside Uptown neighborhood to the historic and historically African-American Bronzeville area. To get to the point here, my husband and I are accustomed to living in very diverse (racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, etc.) urban areas, we both appreciate character, history and architecture, and we both happen to be white. My questions for other Mefites who live in or are familiar with the Bronzeville area are as follows: Do you think that we, as white professionals, are an improper/unwelcome addition to Bronzeville? Is there much (some?) diversity (Latino, white, Asian) in Bronzeville? Are you happy living there?

My biggest concern with moving to Bronzeville is that I might feel isolated there for lack of diversity and because there seem to be fewer markets and restaurants within walking/biking distance as compared to here on the northside.

I would be very grateful for any and all honest comments and insights from Mefites living in or familiar with the Bronzeville area.

Will I be able to live with myself if I contribute to "gentrification"?

n'muakolo — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:41:11 -0800

Ethics question. Should I contribute to gentrification or not? I'm thinking of buying into a neighborhood in DC (Petworth - http://www.petworthdc.net - to be exact) that appears to be in the beginning stages of gentrification. Without getting into the safety concerns, what are your feelings on contributing to gentrification? I am young, white, and can't afford much of anything in the rest of DC. (And am not quite ready to move to suburbia.) Petworth (besides the safety concerns) also has a lot to offer (more residential, more space, yards, basements, possibly a great investment). Should I only buy in areas that already fit my demographic, or is it okay to contribute to gentrification (by which I understand that I would be a factor in making poor, mainly minority people have to leave the nieghborhoods they now live in). I've read the pros and cons, but I wouldn't mind hearing them again here (might be some I haven't heard of), and also I'm interested in your gut feelings about this issue.

(Full disclosure: I want to feel okay about this b/c I want to be able to buy a house in this (or similar) neighborhood, but my gut tells me it's morally wrong. I don't have a ton of faith in my gut on complicated issues like this, though. Hence the question.)

Never comin' back here/'Til the day I die

dilettante — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 19:40:29 -0800

How has Baltimore changed over the past 15 or 20 years? Better or worse? Safer or more dangerous? More or less racial tension, poverty, etc?

I've recently heard strongly conflicting opinions on the current condition and direction of the city, and have been wondering what the situation is now.

Where do I find investors?

Galen — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 11:28:00 -0800

MoneyFilter: Where would a 21 year old college student look for investors willing to help said student get started building wealth? I'm 21 and I want to build houses on vacant lots in cities near where I live. I am fairly sure (though I have excellent credit) I can't qualify for a $200,000 construction loan (even interest only).

So, I need people with money to help me through the first two or three projects. How do I meet these people? Where do I find an investor? What companies that make their business investing in upstarts like me? Are there parties I should be crashing?

I just want a boost into the investing world. I don't want to wait till I'm 30 to start building wealth and cashflow. I have the vision now. Please point me in the right direction.

Lux et Veritas : Can my apartment windows be blocked over?

Skygazer — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 11:34:05 -0800

Looks like the one story warehouse next door has been put up FOR SALE. Problem is that if a building goes up in its stead, two of my windows will be covered over. Do I have any rights or say in the matter? I rent an apartment on the top story of a three story tenement in East Williamsburg Brooklyn. The property line is flush with the warehouse. I do have other windows other then the two in question. The NYC Dept. Of Buildings website has nothing about what a friend has termed "air rights" or "sightline" issues. Am I screwed? After 10 years making this neighborhood a real home have the wolves of the rapacious and brutish Real Estate industry arrived at my doorstep to entomb me w/o proper natural light? Any advice would helpful. Thank you.