Researcher(s):
Rachelle Hanson Kori Groenveld Bee Kelsch Lex Shapiro
ENVS course(s): 330 Initiated: March 2016 Completed: April 2016 Go to project site
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Background -
Gentrification is often understood as a type of urban spatial transformation that changes a lower-income, working-class, “undervalued neighborhood” through “an influx of more affluent households, increased investment in the built environment, and a rise in housing prices”. Gentrification-induced displacement is a common, often unintentional side affect that must be addressed.
Questions -
How can residential urban space be developed in a manner which provides equitable housing to a diversity of racial and socioeconomic residents?
What are the benefits, drawbacks, and tradeoffs of; sustainable affordable housing development, inclusionary zoning, and community involvement as solutions to gentrification-induced displacement in Portland neighborhoods?
Findings - Evidenced by our research there are a multitude of benefits and drawbacks to all of our proposed solutions. However, given the novelty of inclusionary zoning, we believe that it is a solution that should be further explored and prioritized for neighborhoods both gentrified and predicted to be. For these neighborhoods, where the original community has been disrupted, relying on community involvement would not be sufficient and thus policy frameworks are necessary. Finally, given the niche housing market of Portland, which prioritizes green housing practices, we feel that sustainable affordable housing is an attractive solution for both residents and private developers alike.