Mapping the gentrification frontier was exceptionally eye-opening. When discussing gentrification, I had always assumed that wealthier buyers simply moved into a lower-rent area, thereby attracting more of their demographic and the services that often cater to their income bracket. I feel stupid now for not having thought that gentrification was an intentional and long-term process initiated by developers and landlords. The multi-step process of disinvestment and reinvestment based on carefully researched demographic statistics is certainly no accident or luck-of-the-draw situation. It is a natural side effect of a capitalist economy that profitable investors will leave before income dips, and seek to find a new area with a large payoff.

These stages of gentrification are seen throughout New York City, in every borough. We focus on areas such as Park Slope as prime examples, but the fact is that gentrification is a cycle- real estate values appreciate and depreciate, the hip areas constantly shift. Of course gentrification has horrible consequences, but the cycle of appreciation and depreciation keeps the city in a balance. It’s also a much ignored fact that gentrification yields positive effects as well. How could we reap the benefits of gentrification without displacing residents?