Gentrification is the process of new development invested into older, often historic communities that have become out dated, eyesores to civic leaders. Hell's Kitchen in New York is a prime example of the dirt that has become synonymous with Gentrification. Skyrocketing rent has displaced families that are unable to afford the rent available on their block. Developers are finding that property is inexpensive in these run down areas and have decided that building new state of the are facilities will attract further investment into the area raising property values. The widespread situations are not biased, they can be felt as far as Seattle, WA where rent in the Lower Queen district has risen from $150 per month to over $700 per month. As one apartment manager put it, "My residents are moving from 25 year old migrant workers to 25 year old stock brokers." For the residents of South Phoenix in Arizona, modernization moves into a place where at one time, you did not enter after dark.
New homes are built at an alarming rate each day, driving up the value of the land. The residents, most of who are Hispanic or Black, fear that they will be forced to sell their homes for far below their sentimental value. This will leave thousands with an affordable place to call home. Older residents of South Phoenix have lived in their homes for decades, and young families finding the area an inexpensive venue to begin a family often have had the home passed down within the family from parents or grandparents. It is astonishing for the residents to think that their communities that have been neglected for so long have suddenly become a "hot spot" for homebuilders in the Valley. After all, this is an area with a strong minority flavor. Bright oranges and pink liven up grocery stores, literature on billboards is written in Spanish, and you can even buy liquor at the local Circle K, which by the way happens to be located across from a liquor store, (try getting a permit for that in Snottsdale!). None the less, it is home, a place to rest your feet at the end of a long hard day. The residents are comfortable here, they don't mind that their backyards are visible from the street. Their homes may be older and to developers they need to be torn down, but who are they to judge? Residents are comfortable and that is a feeling no developer can build, comfort is what makes South Phoenix a community.
With new developments driving up home values, where will lower income residents live? One place is a fascinating example of revitalization that has been nothing short of miraculous for the Hispanic community. Residents have found a home with the non profit organization called Habitat for Humanity which builds homes designed for hard working, low income families. This is a planned community with a home owners association, equal to any of the new upper class developments in the surrounding area. There is a private, lighted park and even a community center for adults and children where they are instructed on income taxes, and learning to use a computer. The entire land for the community was donated and many community groups around the Valley contribute the labor necessary to construct the homes. Interesting is the fact that the homeowners must work 400 hours of labor on theirs' or any new homes being built at the time. This really defines putting your heart and sweat into your home. The feeling of living in a community that you actually built could only bring about a euphoric joy!
Good or bad, Gentrification is moving into South Phoenix. The good is seen in the revitalization of the older South Phoenix community by its residents and community organizations like Habitat for Humanity. The hope for older residents is that they will not be forced out of their homes so they too can enjoy the new parks, shopping centers and schools that are sure to be built with new development and investment into South Phoenix. One thing is certain, the lives of the lifetime residents of South Phoenix have been altered forever.
