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Skyler Martin
Professor Pentecost
WRIT 1302.08
25 April 2018
Split in Half by the Highway: Defining Gentrification
Driving down Cesar Chavez in East Austin is strange. On one side of the street are newly
renovated and hip coffee shops, luxury apartments, and unusually out of place modern buildings,
yet on the other side there are ragged shacks, out of business piñata stores, and broken barbed
wire fences. It is like there are two completely different cities and cultures just within the span of
a single street. Cesar Chavez (and East Austin in general) is one of the fastest developing sectors
of Austin and in referring to development, I really mean gentrification.
Despite the increasingly prevalence of observable gentrification in cities like Austin and
New York across the U.S., I find that many people admit that while they have generally heard
the term “gentrification,” most do not have deep knowledge of the social implications and
consequences that gentrification has. Gentrification being a newer phenomenon makes it a
comparatively less investigated topic within social justice issues, and so it makes sense that
people have just heard the term in passing but not properly defined. However, scholars and
experts are producing research on this topic, and nearly every article, journal, book, or any other
source related to gentrification starts by defining gentrification. While there is currently no
uniform definition of gentrification, scholars and experts do generally agree on a strong
connection between gentrification and displacement, being that gentrification nearly always
causes displacement. Given the prevalence of this term in academic discussions of gentrification,
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whether or not displacement belongs in a standard definition for gentrification is an interesting
consideration. Though “displacement” is a common theme underlying discussion of
gentrification, the debate over whether gentrification is positive or negative is obscuring the
greater necessity of arriving at a common meaning for it. Instead of focusing on whether or not
gentrification precipitates a situation that needs to be “remedied,” we first need to first come to a
cohesive conclusion on what the term “gentrification” truly is and whether displacement belongs
in its definition before we even begin thinking of solutions to the issue itself.
Although it is well accepted that displacement is a key characteristic of gentrification,
there are researchers who believe that displacement should not be a part of the definition for
gentrification. John Buntin, a journalist focusing on urban affairs, claims that although
displacement sometimes happens as a result of gentrification, it does not happen at a magnitude
to where it belongs as part of the definition (par. 6). He also believes that “we should retire the
term gentrification altogether” since the term lacks a cohesive definition and leads to
inconsistencies in the conversation (Buntin, par. 6). Buntin claims that often low income people
of color are displaced at higher frequencies in non-gentrifying neighborhoods than in gentrifying
neighborhoods (par. 6). He does recognize, however, that displacement is not the only effect of
gentrification that harms low income individuals as even if they are not displaced, they feel a
sense of isolation (Buntin, par. 10). He also believes that having a more ethnically diverse
community is positive for both sides (that is, white and black) as it allows each to experience
other cultures (Buntin, par. 12).
Journalist for Governing magazine, Alan Ehrenhalt’s, main point is similar to that of
Buntin as he also believes that displacement should not be a significant part of the definition for
gentrification as it does not always happen as a result of the process (par. 6). However, Ehrenhalt
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elaborates in his personal argument by illustrating exactly why gentrification occurs: millennials
and the new generation are increasingly attracted to city-life, despite the costs (par. 11). He
claims that an issue with defining gentrification is the idea that displacement is a fundamental
effect of it, which he says is actually false (Ehrenhalt, pars. 5-6). Ehrenhalt claims that
gentrification actually brings more people in than out and due to this, displacement should not be
part of the definition for gentrification (pars. 12-13).
Those who oppose gentrification often have a personal connection to the issue itself. For
example, Spike Lee is known for his indie films, but has recently become associated with
gentrification after he delivered an impassioned rant at the Pratt Institute in 2014 on the topic.
After being questioned on the positive effects of gentrification, Lee spun off into a seven minute
