Poor OUT, Rich IN

[Borincano]

What do you all think about gentrification, which is the "revitalization" of urban neighborhoods ravished by decades of deterioration and by the poor residents, and then selling it to the highest bidder, therefore displacing the former residents? This directy affects poor communities in the USA other countries. Chicago is one of the worse cases. The Chicago Housing Authority is building condos in Puerto Rican, Mexican and African-American neighborhoods to inflate the land value and tearing down all housing projects (Cabrini-Green is the most infamous and largest) in the city and building brand new town houses and apartments. Then giving them to only a fraction of the former project residents and the rest to the rich and upper middle class.

Do you think this is the only way to improve the city infrastructure and its reputation or is this just a twisted and lazy trick to move out the poor without trying to really solve their problems? What do you think should be done instead of gentrification?

[Disgustipated]

Here in Boston Massachusetts, we have seen a lot of gentrification. In particular, the Charlestown section of the city has all been purchased, buildings turned into condos, the poor moved out. The North End of Boston which was typically an Italian neighborhood has all been bought up by investors and now generations of Italians that have lived there their whole lives have been forced out because they can't afford to live there anymore. In the Roxbury district of Boston, the brownstones are being bought up and the poor and section 8 housing people being pushed out. I suspect that this is happening everywhere. Just another quiet war on the poor.

[Panamarisen]

Unfortunately, gentrification is worldwide (at least in the Western countries, I mean). I can see it here in Madrid (Spain), too, ruled today by one of Bushyguy´s pets, Aznar. It just drives me mad. Usually, it means there are not real social care, but caring for the fat, useless rich ones (who, as you know, are rich BY TURNING/KEEPING a lot of other people poor!)...

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!

[Larissa]

Just like Panamerisen said, it's worldwide and FOR SURE it serves the only, unique and ultimate purpose of Capitalism itself. Helps the rich profit and gives a sh... about the poor.

Nothing new about capitalism.

[Borincano]

Here's a good link about it: Shameof the Cities (http://www.lipmagazine.org/articles/featlydersen_7.shtml)