Paper Example on Gentrification & Its Impact on US Neighborhoods

Introduction

A lot of changes have been happening in the world over the years. One of these changes that have had a major impact in the united states in the aspect of gentrification. Gentrification refers to the gradual improvement of a neighborhood, a process that results from the influx, into a neighborhood, of people who are more economically-empowered than the local residents (Keels 240). This influx affects a certain area in various ways, some of which include improved amenities, better transport systems, higher property value, increased the cost of living, displacement of some of the locals, and a general increase in the number of new neighbors (Prince 11). The process of gentrification involves three major stages which include:

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• The early stage: At this stage, the tolerance and affordability of the area attract common people such as college students, musicians, political activists, writers, and artists. These people are among those who find the neighborhood conducive to live and conduct their various businesses.
• The transitional stage: At this stage, the vivacity created by the initial arrivals attracts some professionals belonging to the middle class. They may include journalists, teachers, managers, and librarians.
• The late stage: This stage is characterized by the influx of wealthier residents who mainly include top managers and CEOs of private companies as well as topnotch businesspersons and other affluent people. Due to the new class of people, those who arrived at the first and second stage witness a significant increase in the cost of living. They are, therefore, forced to either shape up or ship out. Gentrification has had an effect on education which cannot be ignored. This paper examines the impact that gentrification has had on the public school systems.

Statement of the Problem

Gentrification has generally been witnessed in major cities in the world. In the United States, it has become a common phenomenon in some of the major cities including Washington DC, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, and San Francisco. This gentrification has had an influence in the way things have traditionally been done in the affected zones. Apart from the improved resources, the ethnic/racial composition in the affected areas has been affected by more whites coming into neighborhoods that mainly comprised blacks and Hispanics (Diem 22). This shift has also seen the increase in household income thus an upsurge in the cost of living which has forced some of the old residents to move out as the cost of food and housing becomes increasingly unaffordable. As a result, the public school system has also been affected in one way or another. These effects have been felt by all the stakeholders and this paper investigates this impact while narrowing down to Washington DC.

Research Objectives

The research objectives for this paper include:

• To find out the effects of gentrification in general.
• To find out how gentrification affects the public school system in Washington DC.

Research Questions

The following are the questions that this paper seeks to answer.

• What are the effects of gentrification in general?
• What effects has gentrification had on the public school system in Washington DC?

Significance of the Study

This study will be particularly important in bringing out detailed information on the impact that gentrification has had on the education sector and the public school system, in particular, in the United States. The evidence will be very significant in informing policymakers and other stakeholders in the education system on the way forward regarding gentrification and education. It will also add to the existing knowledge on this topic which is very important both in the present and future decisions on education policies.

Literature Review

Gentrification is an issue that has brought up controversy in both the economic and political world. This is because it has brought a lot of changes in the way things have been happening in the traditional localities in major cities in the US. Washington DC is currently reported to be the most gentrified city in the US (Diem 29). Economists in the United States have variously described gentrification as a 'natural cycle' in the growth of a city, which involves the building of a new housing ring that is gentrified every time it comes to the culmination of its economic life (Prince 63). In Washington DC, for instance, there has been a tremendous economic and demographic change that has seen a reduction in the number of black residents and an increase in the white population. With an increase in the white population from 27% of the total population in the year 2000 to over 50% in 2015, Washington DC becomes one of the most gentrified cities in America (Prince 15). This gentrification has a general influence on the activities that take place in the neighborhood.

New realities have come up in gentrified neighborhoods. some middle-class adults who spent most of their life in the suburbs while growing up are now developing a preference for city living. They seem to have discovered the value of living within an urban neighborhood and settling down there with their families. Sometimes this results from the active inspiration and support from local community developers who are out to enhance the stability of their respective localities. If these low-income neighborhoods are stabilized, then the general aspect of life will be improved, and this is the dream of every person involved in community development. The improvement is likely to include better transport and infrastructure, improved school amenities, enhanced social services, a reduction in crime and an improvement in business opportunities (Pearman 220). Additionally, although some of these middle-class entrants are not inclined towards the public school system, others may choose to send their children to these schools so that they can experience the diversity associated with such settings. They may also make this choice due to unavoidable circumstances such as job insecurities.

Methodology

This research drew its data from various sources. Some of them included books, academic journals, blogs, magazines, newspapers, and websites for general information. Others included the US Census Bureau as well as the National Center for Education Statistics. The information was mainly used to show how gentrification has affected the American public school system in general. Books and academic journals provided the main information while blogs, magazines, newspapers, and websites offered supplementary information. The National Center for Education Statistics was particularly helpful in providing figures and trends in terms of enrolment in public schools. The general effects of gentrification were examined, and the effect that gentrification has had on the public school system in Washington DC were also analyzed.

Findings

Gentrification has occurred in various US cities over the last two decades or so. Apart from enhancing the provision of more and better services, the gentrification has caused people who can no longer afford the rising cost of living in terms of housing and other amenities to relocate to cheaper areas. The most affected by this trend are the low-income earners, particularly the blacks.

The population of whites has gradually increased in the gentrified cities. As shown in the above table, in Washington DC for instance, between the years 2000 - 2014, the total white population increased from about 27% to approximately 50% (Prince 15). This increase, in turn, affected school enrolment in that the total enrolment of black students in the local public schools decreased from 91% to about 80% while that of whites increased from 1% to 8% in the gentrifying areas. This change also triggered a change in the way the schools were administered and improvements were witnessed in some public schools in terms of infrastructure.

Discussion

With gentrification taking place in almost every city in the United States, a lot of changes followed. While some of the changes were positive, others were negative. The positive included the improvement of infrastructure and other amenities in the gentrified areas while the negative comprised the unexpected relocation of the low-income earners (Prince 23). Some people refer to it as ethnic cleansing since certain people are forced to move out by circumstances to create room for the new entrants. Research shows that these people were not ready to move but the rising cost of living forced them to do so. Those who remained had to contend with the new costs while, at the same time, enjoy improved lifestyles.

The education system has particularly been affected by gentrification in various ways. With the middle class and wealthy residents moving into certain suburbs, schools have witnessed new patterns of enrolment. The trend in the white population settlement and subsequent increase in the enrolment in public schools is an indication that gentrification affected the public school system. This is probably because as the white population increased, the low-income earners and blacks who could not afford to finance the new lifestyles were forced to relocate to affordable areas thus withdrawing their children from the local schools. This trend led to a decline in enrolment as indicated in the findings.

Additionally, racial segregation in the local schools went down due to the gentrification in the neighborhood. With enrolment in the charter schools (privately-operated schools that are funded by the public) increasing, and that of public schools increasing though not at a rate as big as anticipated, there is a likelihood of transformation in the education sector as a result of gentrification (Pearman 232). The segregation that used to riddle many schools over the years is dwindling as students of mixed races and classes increase in the public schools. A recent study suggests that gentrification has led to a mixture of students in schools and resulted in progressive integration especially in the public schools in Washington DC. Learners who attend mixed schools are likely to integrate as they view each other as equals since they are all going through the same system. As such, segregation is likely to decrease.

Limitations of the study

Due to the constraint of time and other resources, this research is limited in a number of ways. First, it was not possible to apply some primary data collection methods such as interviews, questionnaires, and observations. Secondly, time could not allow for the inclusion of more academic material. Additionally, the scope of the research was narrowed down to Washington DC although there are many gentrified cities in the US.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that gentrification has had an impact in the areas where it has occurred due to demographic changes. One of the general effects includes the rise in the cost of housing that has pushed some families out of the gentrifying areas. On a positive note, gentrification has led to the improvement of the various areas in terms of security and infrastructure. In terms of education, gentrification has led to changes that have certain effects on the public school system. With special reference to the case of Washington DC, gentrification has...