White flight? Suburbs lose young whites to cities

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

If the rent for a specific building goes from, say, $500/month to $2,500/month, the residents that were there before are not going to be able to afford it.

Oh. Okay, yeah that's messed up, people shouldn't be forced out like that. But who would pay $2,500.00 for the exact same apt. that was only $500.00? How would the landlord even get away with that, that is a 400% increase, were 400% worth of improvements done to the property?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

Oh. Okay, yeah that's messed up, people shouldn't be forced out like that. But who would pay $2,500.00 for the exact same apt. that was only $500.00? How would the landlord even get away with that, that is a 400% increase, were 400% worth of improvements done to the property?

If an area goes from being "nothing" to being "the next big thing," perceptions of what's acceptable will change.

I'll use Uptown Dallas as an example. It started out as "Little Mexico," but as attractions moved closer to the area, it became more desirable. Now, it's home to some of the most expensive real estate in the area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown,_Dallas,_Texas

[agzg]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

Oh. Okay, yeah that's messed up, people shouldn't be forced out like that. But who would pay $2,500.00 for the exact same apt. that was only $500.00? How would the landlord even get away with that, that is a 400% increase, were 400% worth of improvements done to the property?

Landlords often rehab a building or an apartment to make it acceptable to raise the rent by 5x. They often don't spend enough on a place to warrant that but when you combine it with gentification that's what you get.

I live in a gentrified neighborhood. It's nice, but I'm aware of some of the problems. It makes me really glad that some people are unwilling to sell their smaller homes and I'll be sad if/when they do.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

Oh. Okay, yeah that's messed up, people shouldn't be forced out like that. But who would pay $2,500.00 for the exact same apt. that was only $500.00?

The people who live in some of the renovated downtown apartments in places like Richmond, VA and Atlanta, GA that have focusd heavily on gentrification in the past 10 years.

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

How would the landlord even get away with that, that is a 400% increase, were 400% worth of improvements done to the property?

There are shitty downtown areas that now have $3,000/month loft apartments that attempt to mirror NYC. Gorgeous apartments surrounded by awesome restaurants--in a relatively crappy downtown area. Apartment and other non-owner living has high resident turnover and almost zero sense of neighborhood and community. That's a breeding ground for greedy landlords/rental agents and crime.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

Oh. Okay, yeah that's messed up, people shouldn't be forced out like that. But who would pay $2,500.00 for the exact same apt. that was only $500.00? How would the landlord even get away with that, that is a 400% increase, were 400% worth of improvements done to the property?

Or someone buys the whole building and converts it to condos to SELL them for a huge amount of money. Often, people who were renting are not in a position to purchase them.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

So basiaclly, the negative is that it rocks the boat and upsets the status quo and the actual cities become where the rich/er people and poor people will move to the subdivsions? But I don't get how that last part happens, much less is forced. It's not like they evict people in Building A as soon as the rennovate Building B. Is it??

YES...they do....I have seen it happen...there is a federal law that went into effect back in 1997 that states if you all of a sudden find yourself homeless, you do not get 1st dibs to get emergency housing. That's how they managed to get a lot of people out of the prjects that were torn down and not let them move back into an area once new housing went up.

In essence, most of the young whites flying into the cities are the result of parents that left the cities 25 to 30 years ago.


You guys are flying back....LOL

[DrPhil]

Sometimes.

Have you seriously never heard of the issue of gentrification?

[BluPhire]

I remember back in 2005 it was predicted that the suburbs would look like the slums because of the high price of gas. People would rather live closer to their jobs. With gentrification and companies investing in poorer neighborhoods, it seems the fruits of those labor are coming to exist. Heck even where I have my current business. 10 year ago you could have bought the entire block for how much I pay for in mortgage. The good is you rehab a city. the bad is the elements that brought those neighborhoods down have to live somewhere. You are not really solving a problem just shifting it until it is time to shift again.

[RU OX Alum]

I have heard of it, I just don't understand all of the negatives and what the arguements/reasonings against are.

ETA: I'm pretty sure I'm part of it. I just don't fully understand by statements like "people are being forced out" like literally forced out? As in, "hey your lease is up, some white people from the burbs want to move in so get out or else pay whatever rent" then that is wrong but is that really what is happening?

[RU OX Alum]

Mine isn't quite gentrified yet.

[christiangirl]

Ain't nothin' wrong with a good suburb!

[DaemonSeid]

cool lil blurb from 2006

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

cool lil blurb from 2006

I like this. I agree with it for the most part. I'm guilty of gentrification. Oh well. I guess I'm a white asshole.

[Kevin]

Oh well... sucks being poor, but developers don't owe folks anything just because they're poor/unemployed/underemployed. Go to school, don't do drugs, have a little good luck, etc. etc., then you'll be in a position to be the gentrifier rather than the gentrifiee. Gentrification is generally a good thing for all involved. Pumps money into the school system, usually means quality charter schools will start becoming available, eliminates crime and blight, more money for public safety personnel, etc. Some people probably do get displaced, but that's the risk you take when you rent.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Oh well... sucks being poor, but developers don't owe folks anything just because they're poor/unemployed/underemployed. Go to school, don't do drugs, have a little good luck, etc. etc., then you'll be in a position to be the gentrifier rather than the gentrifiee. Gentrification is generally a good thing for all involved. Pumps money into the school system, usually means quality charter schools will start becoming available, eliminates crime and blight, more money for public safety personnel, etc. Some people probably do get displaced, but that's the risk you take when you rent.

And that's the other side of the argument.