What Gentrification Means for Black Homeowners

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/realestate/black-homeowners-gentrification.html

He loves Brooklyn, but the gentrification of Crown Heights has been hard for him to watch and experience. As a Black homeowner, he would like, more than anything else, to see another Black homeowner take over the house. But it’s precisely because gentrification has driven property values up that Mr. Holley may not be able to do that.

Like other Black homeowners selling family homes in competitive ZIP codes, Mr. Holley feels like the sale is freighted with the burden of his race. He had hoped to leave the house to his only living child, a son in New Jersey, but his son isn’t interested in the brownstone. Mr. Holley fears that when he lists the house on the open market, he may unintentionally play a part in the continued displacement of the Black community in Crown Heights. “I can’t turn down a market offer because it’s for my six grandkids,” he said. “I want to leave something behind for them.”


Despite a long history of Black homeownership in New York City, ever-rising real estate prices have made homes in the city inaccessible to many Black New Yorkers. Only 26 percent of Black households in the city owned their homes, compared to 42 percent for white households, 39 percent for Asian households, and 15 percent for Hispanic households.

(snip)
Not too long ago, he said, “I noticed a neighbor putting up something out front and I was curious. I went over to strike conversation and before I could finish a sentence, he told me that he didn’t have any money.” Being mistaken for a panhandler by one of his new white neighbors sent a clear message about how the neighborhood was evolving. “I’ve lived here all my life. Only three other people on the block who’ve been here longer than I have,” he said.

[cinematicdiversions]

1. Mr. Holly will have a more comfortable retirement

And be able to provide for his grandchildren.

I understand he is concerned the wrong race might by his house ruining his neighborhood. But he is moving it should no longer be his concern.

I find the idea of not selling properties to people based or their perceived race or ethnicity abhorrent. I am surprised that the times would inadvertently promote such nineteenth century thinking.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. The article digs into exactly what you bring up, and ties it in with the bigger issue: Home

and property ownership have been vehicles for class mobility for decades, but Black people are still regularly forced out of those spaces for a variety of reasons, taking away that flexibility.

[cinematicdiversions]

3. He really isn't being forced out (outside of taxes)

But in reality people off all races sell their house when they reach a certain age and buy a low maintenance place down in Florida for cash and put the remainder in their savings.

The generational wealth isn't going anywhere. This is a success story. There are plenty of black families who own homes in places like Gary Indiana who would love to have this man's problems.

Gentrification creates wealth for black homeowners who live there Always has. Much better than having the housing values deteriorate as you head towards retirement.

[Elessar Zappa]

4. Gentrification also pushes

out low income people who can’t afford the newly jacked up rents. It’s not all rainbows and roses.

[cinematicdiversions]

5. Overall it is a huge plus.

Look at places that have seen population, wealth and brain drain over the last thirty years. These are not places you or I would want to live.

I remember NYC of the seventies and Eighties. I think people tend to romance the crime and poverty that was rampant back then.

[Elessar Zappa]

6. So poor people have no right to stay in their neighborhoods?

Sorry, I don’t agree that gentrification is a plus. It almost always equals, in practice, white people displacing minorities.

[cinematicdiversions]

7. Nobody has a right to stay in their neighborhood

Honestly it's like those loony redneck natives with their Trump flags and Florida born stickers on their trucks crying a river because they can't afford to live where they were born.

This idea that all neighborhoods should be trapped in Amber and never changing is insane. We should embrace progress not block it due to some bizarre nonexistent birthright.

[leftstreet]

8. lol I think that's the position of the Dept of Defense n/t

[Elessar Zappa]

12. Why is it considered progress when

whites displace minorities? That’s definitely not my definition of “progress”.

[cinematicdiversions]

16. Where I live the neighborhood is becoming gentrified

It is a mix of races replacing poor whites. Trailer parks are converted to upper middle class housing. Dollar stores are torn down to make way for a Sprouts. The gun shop is now a book store.

The value houses have almost doubled in the last ten years. No minorities are being displaced and in the latest census the amount of Hispanics and Asians has increased from none to a decent percentage. The poor whites are being driven into more rural areas or to other states where their lifestyle is more appropriate.

It isn't about race. The increase of diversity is simply a happy side effect of the gentrification.

[Coventina]

18. Wow, you really don't know much about other ways of life, do you?

Not everyone has a large home to downsize from.

Not everyone has the ability to retire.

Not everyone wants to move to Florida.

Not everyone has the ability to move (for a variety of reasons).

I really don't get your phrase "always has" in regards to gentrification creating wealth for Black homeowners. Really? That shows a complete ignorance of Black history in America.

[Treefrog]

14. My neighbors across the street are black and own the most expensive house on the block.

My little town is extremely integrated, which is way more common in the south than most in the north would understand.

When I moved in a few years ago, they came over to tell me how happy they were that I had bought the house.

[delisen]

10. This man has every right to be concerned about this neighborhood whether or not he lives there.

Caring is an attribute of people living in a society. We all have the right to exercise our care for others - whether they are people in our former neighborhoods, other cities, rural areas, or in fact other countries.

Mr. Holly has the right to his concern and to express it in the public space, thereby opening or joining a conversation about inequality and freedom. The fact that he is moving does not limit his right to be concerned.

Houses are homes, not just parts of an economic system. The fact that they are seen as primarily a means of wealth building is a result of economic policies that are not written in stone.

[cinematicdiversions]

11. He is more than welcome to express his opinion.

Choosing the buyer of your home based on their perceived race or culture is immoral and I believe illegal.

Blantent racism has no place in polite solicity no matter how noble the intent.

[Beastly Boy]

9. It's not merely gentrification, but how it is being achieved.

The trend is for large corporate interests to take over single family real estate markets all over the country. This will affect the renters far more than individual owners. Gentrification will affect not only local neighborhoods but the entire real estate industry, and much quicker, with a much more devastating effect, than it did so far.

[Zeitghost]

13. Would he...

Would he prefer his house be worth a lot less?

[llashram]

15. white chump trumpian carpetbagger

the black homeowner has a target front, back, sides and a carpetbagger 2.0 has an assumptive entitled position in society therefore he can run the show. Amerikkka will ALWAYS have this problem. And the former potus has enabled this attitude in millions. They used to live in the sewers, now they are back in the open spewing racist hate, disease and rot everywhere. And they will never go away, EVER!!!

[cinematicdiversions]

17. I understand the feelings of the above post.

But we are talking about million dollar brownstones in Brooklyn (Okay probably 3.5 million but still). Not really Trumpian carpetbagger country.

[llashram]

19. if you say so

this attitude of the 21st-century carpetbagger/gentrifier is my focus. NOT the $$$.