BRIDGE TO SUCCESS SUMMER 2019

I do not believe there is a problem with living where you want to; the problem takes place when there are housing policies that discriminates against minorities. One of the main factors, gentrification, tries to renovate housing to a middle class state. Kathryn Parkhurst states in “Expansion and Exclusion: A Case Study of Gentrification in Church Hill,” Church Hill, a gentrified community in Richmond, has 10% of African Americans living in the southern region, while the northern part is the other 90%. The neighborhood is segregated because of many of the housing policies.

Housing policies are established to maintain structure throughout a community or town. For example, a housing policy could be to let housing supply grow to meet demand. Everyone in that area has to follow that specific rule or they cannot live there. In conclusion, housing policies are really important to maintain formation throughout an area, but are a problem when the housing policies are racially motivated.

So far we have read about how our nation encouraged home ownership, especially after WWII.  What is wrong with people living where they want to and choosing their neighbors? Based on the readings, are the problems with gentrification any reason to stop doing it? Think hard, young scholars–there are many layers to these questions.