Gentrification vs. Regentrification: What’s the Difference?

• Gentrification

  Gentrification is a process of renovating deteriorated urban neighborhoods by means of the influx of more affluent residents. This is a common and controversial topic in politics and in urban planning. Gentrification can improve the material quality of a neighborhood, while also potentially forcing relocation of current, established residents and businesses, causing them to move from a gentrified area, seeking lower cost housing and stores.

  Gentrification often shifts a neighborhood’s racial/ethnic composition and average household income by developing new, more expensive housing, businesses and improved resources. Conversations about gentrification have evolved, as many in the social-scientific community have questioned the negative connotations associated with the word gentrification. One example is that gentrification can lead to community displacement for lower-income families in gentrifying neighborhoods, as property values and rental costs rise; however, every neighborhood faces unique challenges, and reasons for displacement vary.The gentrification process is typically the result of increasing attraction to an area by people with higher incomes spilling over from neighboring cities, towns, or neighborhoods. Further steps are increased investments in a community and the related infrastructure by real estate development businesses, local government, or community activists and resulting economic development, increased attraction of business, and lower crime rates. In addition to these potential benefits, gentrification can lead to population migration and displacement. However, some view the fear of displacement, which is dominating the debate about gentrification, as hindering discussion about genuine progressive approaches to distribute the benefits of urban redevelopment strategies.

• Gentrification (noun)

  The renewal and rebuilding that accompanies the influx of middle class or affluent people into deteriorating areas and often displaces earlier, usually poorer, residents; any example of such a process.

• Regentrification (noun)

  The act or process of regentrifying.

• Gentrification (noun)

  the process of renovating and improving a house or district so that it conforms to middle-class taste

  “an area undergoing rapid gentrification”

• Gentrification (noun)

  the process of making a person or activity more refined or polite

  “Miss Havisham’s plan for his gentrification”

  “football has undergone gentrification”

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