The Double-Edged Word

Gentrification. If ever there was a hot-button issue that typifies the beginning of this century, this is it. If ever there was one that seems to prove that one person's meat is another's poison, this is that, too. From Boston to New York to Chicago to L.A., many of our major cities' poorer neighborhoods have undergone and continue to undergo these demographic shifts. And the push-back is growing stronger.
   On May 8, San Francisco's City Hall is expected to be the site of a demonstration against what many are seeing as the gentrification of the Mission district. The movement's Facebook page states "10,000 people have been displaced from La MiSSiON! Join us MAY 8th @ City @ 12 NOON to tell the Mayor & Board of Supervisor 2 immediately STOP the Evictions & development of Luxury Condos in La MiSiON! We will DEMAND that the City build 3,000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING & bring everyone that's been evicted from the MiSiON back! Si Se Puede!" The city's supervisors mirror the public's conflicting attitudes as they contemplate a building moratorium. According to the article, "Supporters say the once thriving
Latino culture of the historically low-income working class in the Mission will disappear if The City doesn’t act. Opponents and developers say halting market-rate housing development cuts off a key funding source for below-market-rate projects": http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/sf-supervisors-views-mixed-on-mission-housing-moratorium/Content?oid=2929063
   At the same time, the way San Francisco's Tenderloin district dealt with the same type of situation is being held up as an example for Los Angeles's targeted neighborhoods to follow: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-shaw-tenderloin-20150417-story.html
   And then there is the thing called eco-gentrification, an example of which is New York's High Line. Its succès fou has brought about its own problems and begs the question, How does one green an urban neighborhood without changing its socio-economic character?: http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/06/dangers-ecogentrification-best-way-make-city-greener
   In an attempt to prevent overdevelopment ~ or at least to mitigate the resulting feeling of overcrowding and claustrophobia ~ San Francisco in 1985 required that developers build and maintain 1 square foot of public space for every 50 square feet of commercial space: https://medium.com/sf-popos/the-21-secret-parks-of-san-francisco-192e6d88ea0a