2004/03/31 by Lance Freeman, Frank Braconi · 5 citations
Social Sciences · #Urban Planning and Governance #Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies #Urbanization and City Planning
paper · doi:10.1080/01944360408976337
openalex publication_date 2004/03/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Gentrification has been viewed by some as a solution to many of the problems facing older central cities. At the same time, many are wary of the potential for gentrification to displace disadvantaged residents. To date, however, surprisingly little reliable evidence has been produced about the magnitude of this problem that could guide planners, policymakers, or community-based organizations. The study described in this article attempts to fill this void by examining residential mobility among disadvantaged households in New York City during the 1990s. We found that rather than rapid displacement, gentrification was associated with slower residential turnover among these households. In New York City, during the 1990s at least, normal succession appears to be responsible for changes in gentrifying neighborhoods. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for planning.