Interesting story and quotes by Spike Lee about gentrification
Film director Spike Lee railed against gentrification in New York City in an expletive-filled speech.
Found this story on usa today's website.
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http://gawker.com/do-the-right-thing-painted-on-house-next-to-spike-lee-1533502523
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/spike-lee-amazing-rant-against-gentrification.html
I'd rather not rely on USA Today's summary..
"Hence, that is the unanswerable question that something like gentrification forces us to ponder: Would we rather live in a crime-ridden (but cheap) city stuffed to the gills with eccentric characters and dangerous options? Or do we prefer to live in a rich, but mind-numbingly dull and sterile landscape of prosperity that breeds nothing but self-satisfaction, consumerism and boredom. I suspect, when one is brutally honest, most folks (including me now) would choose the latter."
If we are going about that, we seem to be doing it very slowly.
And, Brooklyn is said to be "over" already: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/43840/is-brooklyn-over
At present, we have far more applicants than we do jobs. Low income (but employed....) folks are sharing apartments, rather than move away to places that might be affordable, but they fear they would result in them bein unemployed and knowing no one.
Also, I dont see NYC being able to overcone REBNY's opposition to lowering the value of large swathes of land; They want to be able to use land in whatever manner brings the most profit.
They were very successful under DeBlasio of getting areas up zoned on the basis that it would increase tax revenue, and lower municipal expenses.
It was Urban Renewal, while using less fraught terms.
Only now are residents realizing just how tall and "big" (ie FAR) structures in their neighborhoods can be.
The only real resource they have against increasing density is Landmarking.