gentrification

PREFACEThe Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy’s mission is : (1) toconduct empirical research on market, demographic, and policy trends that affect cities andmetropolitan areas; (2) to produce new ideas about the challenges that emerge from these trends,in order to stimulate change; and (3) to create and nurture a broad network that will lead to sharedlearning and action.The Center has produced or collaborated on analyses of growth patterns in the Los Angeles,Atlanta, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. regions and in North Carolina. We have worked withpartners in Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, and elsewhere. This has made it clearto us that there is a wide range of economic, social, and growth conditions across, and within,different metropolitan areas. This paper’s description of gentrification pressures in the SanFrancisco Bay Area, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. further reinforces the idea of thediversity of metropolitan environments and neighborhoods.However, there are some general trends we see, to varying degrees, across the country. Thegeneral trend in U.S. metropolitan areas is the steady movement of people and jobs toward themetropolitan fringe, and the concentration of poverty and distress in the central city and innersuburbs. We think that the movement of middle class people into central cities presents realopportunities—and challenges—for cities and neighborhoods, but it should not be mistaken for thestory of national development.Thus, the context for examining gentrification and its effects is one of diverse metropolitanareas and a general decentralization of economic and social life. Cities and metropolitan areas mustunderstand where they fit into this context. If gentrification is a concern, leaders need to implementpolicies that are fair and balanced. We think that the equitable development framework presented inthis paper is a promising source for these policies, which will have major implications forneighborhood planning, land use reform, and local tax policy. All of these implications need to beexplored and experimented with as equitable development moves from a concept to a tried-and-truemodel of development. If a city is not gentrifying, leaders must explore what they can do tojumpstart their economy and revitalize their neighborhoods. Without a strong fiscal base and healthymarkets, it is difficult for cities to help their residents thrive.We would like to thank Maureen Kennedy and Paul Leonard, for their thorough, balancedexamination of this issue, and the Fannie Mae, Surdna and Ford foundations for their support. Wealso appreciate the opportunity to work with PolicyLink, and look forward to working with them again.Bruce KatzDirectorThe Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policyvii