Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
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Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#2Why is gentrification bad?
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#3Why is gentrification bad?
Because in order for cities to function properly, it's important that blue collar workers are able to afford to inhabit them. Un-governed gentrification and unreasonably low levels of low income housing result in situations like exist in the SFBA now, where many middle class households are either forced into extraordinarily long commutes (leads to higher stress, worse health and increased mortality) or cramped living in shared multi-family apartments/houses.
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#4Why is gentrification bad?
I think it is generally seen as a process that ends up pricing out and displacing the people who used to rent within an area (or even own, if property taxes end up spiking), thus dissolving the original community.
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#5This police-assisted murder is a shame but I don't understand why we expect neighborhoods to remain frozen in time forever, never changing their racial or socioeconomic makeup for as long as the area exists.
It's a given that neighborhoods, especially in the city, will change over time. The real issue isn't whether people who don't look like the lifelong residents will move in, it's if those new neighbors will treat the area and neighbors with the same reverence and respect that those before them did. I don't think people resent a changing neighborhood so much as they resent people with different values settling down and expecting the neighborhood to bend to their preference.
This is clearly what's at stake in the death of Alex Nieto.
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#6This is the taser Alex Nieto pointed at the police and refused to drop (if the police are telling the truth):
http://i2.wp.com/missionlocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03...
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#7Why is gentrification bad?
It's a double edged sword: it generates wealth and regenerates an area. On the other hand people who may have lived there for 20+ years can get priced out of their own neighbourhood.
Arguably, people have a right to continue living where theyve always lived, and should be able to live close to work. This is at least believed in the UK, in theory.
Unfortunately, what normally happens is that house prices in the area grows exponentially fast and serves to only make the rich richer. Rental prices are usually pegged to housing prices and thus, the original inhabitants are pushed out.
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#8Why is gentrification bad?
Decreased quality of life for those who rent and can no longer afford to live in the gentrified neighborhood.
Increased property taxes for those who already own can force even long-time residents to move, regardless of whether they actually want to, simply because their home has suddenly and unexpectedly increased in value. You could argue that this is a windfall - but being forcibly displaced by increased cost of living isn't fun, even if you do get a bunch of money for your house (that you didn't want to sell in the first place).
Also, change is scary.
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#9Why is gentrification bad?
Basic reason is that it displaces the existing population through increasing prices in housing and services and alienates the existing population socially and culturally. The only people that experience the benefits of gentrification are wealthy newcomers, whereas existing populations suffer varying degrees of harm with the gradual destruction of their communities.
Re: Death by gentrification: the killing that shamed San Francisco
#10Is there no rent control in SF or other US cities? How do people get priced out?