The Issue of Gentrification

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5PiTCwoQRo

Gentrification is a problem in every city. The act of pushing people out of their space, out of their homes, out of their stories, to build to make money. Poverty is an issue within itself within the United States, and gentrification is only aiding in this issue. What would you do if you get home to find out that your rent charge is increasing? Increasing enough that you can no longer afford it and you must find somewhere new to stay. This happens when rich corporations and cities decide that because they have money, it is their right to flip city blocks upside down to make them "better" and "more profitable". This act is undermining and dishonest. As Liz Ogbu talks about in her TED talk, her as an architect, she has made sure to keep in mind this current issue, and depend on herself to never help in a project that has this goal. 

Too much in this country do we focus on money and investment, rather than the people surrounding us, their lives, and their stories. As Ogbu speaks on, land and space can be sacred to those who live there. Think about how your childhood home effected you, and how devastated you might be to find that you are being forced to leave. The mindset needs to change, we need to care about people and their space. 

- Shelby Cafferty