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What is gentrification?
The process where wealthier residents move into a lower-income neighborhood, raising costs and changing the community.
Why do developers talk about “diversity” in new neighborhoods?
To attract new residents
Who is most often displaced in gentrifying neighborhoods?
Black residents or low income resident
What nickname was Washington, D.C. once known by because of its large Black population?
Chocolate City
How does government investment affect gentrification?
It raises property values and attracts developers.
What do tax breaks for developers encourage?
More redevelopment
What part of history is often ignored in redevelopment stories?
Racism and poverty
Which group often increases in gentrifying neighborhoods?
White or wealthier residents
Which D.C. neighborhood is discussed in the reading as a case of rebranding?
H Street
What is redlining?
Banks refusing loans based on race/location.
What usually happens to rent during gentrification?
Increases
How does focusing on culture change how gentrification looks?
It makes it seem positive
What economic change drives displacement?
Rising housing costs
What event in 1968 shaped H Street’s history?
The uprisings
What does calling a neighborhood “blighted” imply?
That it is hopeless and worthless.
Why do developers target low-income neighborhoods?
Land is cheaper and profit potential is higher.
How does positive branding affect public opinion?
People support redevelopment more
What causes communities to change after reinvestment?
Rising prices push people out as they are unable to afford living there.
How was H Street later described during redevelopment in terms of demographics.
Diverse and vibrant
Why might cities invest only after wealthier populations show interest?
Because profit and tax revenue drive policy decisions.
How does government planning shape who can live in a neighborhood?
By controlling housing costs and development
How does reframing history make displacement harder to see?
It makes change look natural rather than planned.
What pattern happens after disinvestment then redevelopment?
Gentrification
How did reframing H Street’s history make redevelopment easier?
How does controlling neighborhood narratives give developers political and economic power?
It shapes public support and justifies policy decisions.