GENTRIFICATION TIMELINE:
HAPPENINGS OF GENTRIFICATION IN FLUSHING (CAUSE & EFFECT)
Gentrification is an ongoing issue all around America, specifically New York. This is when a lower-class neighborhood is essentially upgraded to a middle class one. When studying it, there are huge noticings of the changes in the community and how that is a result of gentrification itself. Flushing, Queens has gone under an immense amount of pressure and change within their community. Unlike other signs of gentrification, the first sign of gentrification in Flushing came from minority groups. The first though, a Taiwanese American immigrant Tommy Huang, triggered the initial conversion of Flushing. Due to this, the residents being pushed out were mainly white and owners of small businesses. Gentrification was protested heavily in fear of being marginalized. Despite this, in the 1990s, the second Chinatown was created in New York. There is a lot of commotion around how the area is starting to look, usually in comparison to the city. Although there are great benefits of rezoning an area like Flushing, there are still tribulations, such as displacement, to be faced because of it, and due to this, there is an ongoing discussion on whether or not the benefits outweigh the losses.
Displacement is a huge risk of gentrification. There are low-income class families and small businesses being pushed out for developers to be able to construct these new buildings. Despite the fact that development and gentrification are inevitable, it does not provide to those already in the community, but the newcomers coming in. Flushing has always been known for its Asian population, now due to its gentrification, it’s known as the “Bigger…Sexier Chinatown of New York” (Hum 2020). The agenda of these developers is clear in context. This could be to fulfill a certain aesthetic within Flushing rather than maintaining an affordable living and commercial rent for those who need it. The name is also in reference to the population of Chinese people and how it is “surpassing the number in Manhattan’s Chinatown” (Vertovec 2010). The growth in buildings is mainly residential ones, ongoing population growth within luxurious buildings.
attracting more tourists to the area and building a reputation that makes it an important landmark to visit. However, as the population grows, so does the rent. Residents are finding it harder to find cheap rent to put their businesses, due to high demand. Most of the businesses that are being built are very high-end restaurants that sell expensive Asian food, which is becoming a popular trend. The growing desire to explore Asian culture is fulfilled once these tourists go to Flushing. There is now a demand for Asian products such as bubble tea, ramen, and other popular snacks.
Most would argue that cultural communities, those that are mainly known as minorities, are being greatly impacted by gentrification. However, in Flushing’s case, it was different. When the first wave was caused by Tommy Huang, it triggered an influx of Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants to come and plant their businesses. Those aforementioned protests against gentrification were from old white residents that were, once again, in fear of being marginalized (Vertovec 2010). Although this means a bigger minority community was developed, it still forced displacement among those who could not afford to stay. From then on, numbers in retail spiked in 2010 and are still well on their way to growing as of 2016, according to the neighborhood economic profiles.
Gentrification is an inevitable factor in any neighborhood. It usually starts with the need for development and corresponding patterns such as drug rates decreasing, making the area more desirable to gentrify. While it is a very good source of economy for the government and those who work in the real estate field, it causes a constant struggle for those who don’t necessarily have the finances to keep moving. There is no way to get rid of gentrification, but there is definitely room for improvement. The constant displacement and separation of culture can eventually result in deeper issues. Despite the pros of it such as the availability of jobs and a safer environment, said jobs and opportunities are not guaranteed for everyone thus causing the effects of gentrification to be much more negative if anything.
QUEENS GENTRIFICATION FIELD REPORT:
Field Report: Queens Gentrification
Amirah Alwagih
Composition US Experience FIQWS 10115 HA23 City College
December 9, 2020
Introduction
Gentrification is an ongoing issue all around America, particularly in New York. This is when a lower-class neighborhood is essentially upgraded to a middle class one. When studying it, there are huge noticings of the changes in the community and how that is a result of gentrification itself. Astoria, Queens has gone under an immense amount of pressure and change within their community. Similar to other signs of gentrification, the first sign in Astoria came from packs of youthful, diverse people, usually consisting of creative artists. The main demographic, however, contained more Greek and Italian people (Affairs, 2019). Although the younger population helped diversify the community, it also brought an influx of wealthier people that eventually made the area more expensive as well. Young couples would come in searching for small, new apartments rather than home-like structures to fulfill their residency desires (Klara, 2017). The prices were still relatively low compared to the city, however, there was still an indication of displacement in the area. Although there are great benefits of rezoning an area like Astoria, there are still tribulations, such as displacement, to be faced because of it, and due to this, there is an ongoing discussion on whether or not the benefits outweigh the losses.
Gentrification is an inevitable factor in any neighborhood. It usually starts with the need for development and corresponding patterns such as drug rates decreasing, making the area more desirable to gentrify (Turner 2019). While it is a very good source of economy for the government and those who work in the real estate field, it causes a constant struggle for those who don’t necessarily have the finances to keep moving. There is no way to get rid of gentrification, but there is room for improvement. The constant displacement and separation of culture can eventually result in deeper issues. Despite the pros of it such as the availability of jobs and a safer environment, said jobs and opportunities are not guaranteed for everyone thus causing the effects of gentrification to be much more negative.
In this field research study, the issue of gentrification along with the impact it has on residents and business owners were explored. The scope of this research was 31st Avenue to Steinway Street in Astoria. The main question that drove this research was how were people being impacted by the gentrification in the area and how they compared to each other, regardless if they’re a resident or a business owner? Other questions such as their perspective on the area changing and how it relates to their particular situation were observed. Preliminary online research points to possible answers to these questions such as it may cause indifference to those who are not greatly impacted by gentrification, financially, and potentially hinder those who have been living there for a greater amount of time. The objective of this research is to gain perspective from other individuals, businesses, and residents of Astoria, so there will be a better understanding of the gravity of gentrification in Astoria. The following study consists of interviews and survey responses of business owners, customers, and residents of the community.
Literature Review
Gentrification alludes to the change of a neighborhood from a lower-class to a middle class one, usually caused by an influx of wealthier individuals obtaining a residence, alongside the increase of prices by investors and landlords. Astoria is infamously known to have changed over the years, both residential and commercial. Historically, Astoria has been known for its diversity. Business owners and older residents have taken notice of the changes of this, given the diversity is being diluted by the wealthier individuals, completely changing the ambiance and culture of Astoria. It’s getting turned into more of a tourist attraction, leaving minimal room for old residents to bask in the area they once called home. Commercial and residential gentrification strips the originality of Astoria and serves those who come from wealthier backgrounds, increasingly unaffordable housing, and displacement.
Loni Klara (2017) examined the history of Astoria, including the growing population of Arabs in Steinway Street. She calls the area “Little Egypt,” however, indicates that the initial demographic used to be mostly European, usually Greek or Italian people. The neighborhood started diversifying with the influx of East European and South American people. This is concerning present-day gentrification and how the issue is not demographics but the number of new businesses and residency taking place, changing what used to be remembered as Astoria. There are a lot more expensive areas, diluting it of its initial culture and making it a luxurious hotspot for wealthy individuals.
Parrish Turner (2019) discusses the topic of gentrification in New York City utilizing information from Jeremiah Moss’s book, Vanishing New York: How a Great City Lost Its Soul (2017). He goes into detail to indicate how angry Moss was by his arrival in New York and how “a vibrant, independent city was commandeered by chain restaurants and drugstores.” Moss’s initial observations of the city included signs of inclusivity for people who needed it most, this includes African Americans, LGBTQ individuals, and immigrants. However, the longer he stayed, the more he realized there was less space for the survival of small businesses. Rent-stabilized structures were replaced with unaffordable housing and high rises and local small businesses were taken down for luxurious stores. Turner explains that due to a city council vote in 1994, landlords were authorized to exclude their buildings from rent regulation. This heavily impacted the area, raising rent for retail and housing. Due to this, Moss advocates heavily for the Small Business Jobs Survival Act, which serves commercial tenants to get a 10-year lease renewal and equality in terms of negotiation for a new lease.
The NYU Furman center (2016) carries out the study, “The State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods,” that ranks Astoria at number eleven on their list of the city’s 15 most gentrified neighborhoods. Due to Astoria’s statistics regarding affordability, residency prices, and demographics, it’s described to be “one of the city’s most gentrified neighborhoods.” From 1990 to 2014, rent prices have increased by 27.6% in Astoria, with the average household income being $64,600. Also, the city, in general, has obtained a “younger, more educated” demographic since 1990. Housing units present in gentrifying communities also grew faster than those in non-gentrifying neighborhoods.
Zoe Rosenberg (2017) sheds light on the pressing hunt for affordable housing in gentrified neighborhoods. In collaboration with NeighborhoodX chief Constantine Valhouli, they point out the signs of gentrification in respect to consumer and investor attraction stating,
“Purchase price per square foot gives a sense of what someone is willing to pay to own in a neighborhood. If people are willing to pay more to live in a neighborhood, it suggests that there is potential for housing prices or rents to increase, or that it is simply a very desirable place for an owner-occupant to live,” Valhouli says. When the ratio between the purchase price and annual rent is low, as it is in Brownsville, it indicates that a neighborhood is still under the radar. It’s at this point when the prices are low and rents are modest, that similar areas become attractive to investors.
Thus, a neighborhood getting gentrification depends on its annual rent and how much people are willing to pay. Many areas are getting gentrified in regards to their reputation with newcomers and investors that plan to profit off of the area and the people coming in. It’s observed by Valhouli that real estate in these neighborhoods is selectively priced to those who are more inclined to purchase as a long term expenditure rather than enter a neighborhood or complex that has yet to gentrify.
Public Affairs at the University of California, Berkeley (2019) states New York City gentrification creates “urban islands of exclusion” basing it off on a study done by a Berkeley team. They released an Urban Displacement project map that indicates 12% of low-income neighborhoods undergo ongoing gentrification and displacement while there is a supplementary 9% that undergo displacement but without the gentrification. This means they are being forced out of their residency due to increasing rent or a lot of other taxing reasons that may not be about gentrification. Although there is an overwhelming amount of gentrified areas, minimizing it won’t be the solution to improve the problem. Moses Gates, Vice President for Housing and Neighborhood Planning at the Regional Plan Association says,
Even if New York City can protect its low-income renters in gentrifying neighborhoods, that won’t necessarily ease the displacement pressures on the other communities throughout the region which is experiencing similar issues of rising rents and fewer housing choices.
Thus, the issue not only lies in the gentrifying neighborhoods but also in those who go through the same issues as those gentrified and are not currently experiencing gentrification within their neighborhood.
Commercial and residential gentrification in Astoria contributes to the displacement of those who are not given availability to affordable housing and those whose small businesses are overthrown by luxurious ones. Affordable housing is rarely ever an option for people and when it is, it isn’t a permanent solution to their issue. Despite popular belief that if New York City were to try to put a policy that protected low-income individuals and increase affordable housing, it would still not lift the pressure for those who go through displacement in their neighborhoods. Besides, residents can still undergo displacement without gentrification being present in their area, indicating that the safety civilians hold in their complexes due to the rent rises is little to none.
Methods
Participants
Interview Participants. Several interview participants were conducted for this field study including Ana and her daughter Jefany, Ana is the owner of local Jamaica restaurant “Ericas”, because Ana is a small business owner and could provide insight on her experience with gentrification in her area especially since across the street from her lies a Panda Express and Chipotle. Marcus, a Downtown Jamaica resident of 2 years was interviewed to share his witness of any changes in Jamaica that may have been potentially caused by gentrification. A local fruit vendor Abdul Salm, who has lived in the Jamaica area for 30 years was interviewed to showcase another example of local businesses getting impacted by big corporations. Ali, a worker of the “Stop 1” deli and resident of 5 years, was interviewed to share his viewpoint on the changes happening in Jamaica with regards to gentrification. Lastly for Jamaica, Ali, the owner of “Mas convenience” and resident of 25 years, was interviewed to share his expertise concerning the new franchises and the changes in the neighborhood. Hisham, owner of the Nile Deli in Astoria, was interviewed because he has been in the neighborhood as a business owner for over 35 years and experienced first hand the gentrification that Astoria has gone through. Over the years he has witnessed and met many customers and could comment on the neighborhood’s crime rate as well. His son, Mohammad, who helps manage the deli and is a student himself, provided some feedback on how it is to live in a gentrifying neighborhood and how it has changed his whole childhood community.
Some interviewees were not able to be interviewed due to a lack of response. They are listed below:
Florence Koulouris, district manager of Queens Community Board 1 was reached out to, through email and phone number, because she could have provided an immense amount of information about her noticings in Astoria as a person of authority in the community. Alex Gomez, manager of Seba Seba was reached out to through email and phone because he could have provided expertise regarding how other businesses could have potentially affected Seba Seba, a long-time business stationed at Jackson Heights. Council Member Adrienne E. Adams was contacted due to how closely she has worked with the community of Queens and her involvement in Jamaica NOW. Jamaica now action plan hopes to improve the overall quality of life and business in Jamaica while including the residents, businesses, local stakeholders, and City agencies. Robert Tilley was also contacted, he helps with landlord/tenant issues for Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica (NHSJ) a 42-year-old non-profit organization committed to preserving, protecting, and revitalizing neighborhoods.
Survey Participants. The survey was conducted electronically via google forms and was shared among various social media platforms such as Instagram and Reddit. The survey was conducted to evaluate any significant changes in the neighborhoods Jackson Heights, Jamaica, and Astoria apropos to gentrification and its potentially dire effects on these neighborhoods. The sample was chosen with the purpose to target individuals who reside in these specific neighborhoods. The survey was participant self-administered, as responses were recorded by the participants. 32 people participated in the survey. The survey was conducted from November 24th through December 7, 2020.
Materials.
The materials used for this field report included notes obtained from conducted field observation and interviews. Class notes were also used to differentiate the type of interviews that needed to be done. Third-party tools, such as Google forms, were used to create the surveys and were posted on social media platforms to share the survey with others. The internet was also used as a way to collect research and specific information, such as store locations, for the communities needed.
Procedure
Interview Procedure. The interview questions were made specific to the title the interviewee held. For example, residents would be asked questions about their rent and their opinions on what is happening in their neighborhood, business owners would be asked questions specific to their business, demographics, and how long they have been in their communities. At least 6 questions were asked of the interviewees. There were a total of 6 interviews conducted. All of the interviews were face-to-face due to the lack of responses through email and phone.
Survey Procedure. The survey questions were created to be user friendly, therefore the survey questions were kept short, simple, and concise. The survey was under 3 minutes, with only 11 questions to minimize participant refusal. The types of questions used in this survey were multiple-choice questions, rating scale questions, open-ended questions, demographic questions, and dichotomous questions were included in the survey. The survey questions were developed with the purpose of reaching people from the neighborhoods of Downtown Jamaica, Jackson Heights, and Astoria and ask for their experiences with gentrification in their respective neighborhoods. The surveys were created via google forms and distributed throughout different social media platforms including Reddit and Instagram.
Limitations. COVID-19 brought forth many obstacles and challenges to this field report. Due to the presence of social distancing guidelines, the ability to successfully conduct a survey in the field was hindered. In addition to the implementation of stay-at-home orders, the possibility of squeezing interviews in the busy schedules of businesses was difficult due to the lack of professionals working. Ultimately these limitations led to the lack of professional interviews in addition to utilizing other means of reaching out to the target audience to complete survey questions.
Results
Interview Results/Hisham Abbas
Hisham Abbas is a father of three and the owner of The Nile Deli on Steinway Street in Astoria. He works his 9 hour shift everyday of the week with the help of two of his sons, who are both college students. The purpose of conducting an interview with him would be to gain perspective on the changes Astoria has gone through over the years. He has been the owner of The Nile Deli for over 35 years and his long term residency made him the perfect candidate to voice his noticings and what he thinks of these changes.
AA: Over the last few years, what changes have you seen in the community?
HA: Oh, I’ve seen many. There are a lot of businesses, owners that I’m friends with, that get taken down because the rent is too high. Now they are replaced by many clothing stores and restaurants and they are quite expensive, you know.
AA: How do you feel about the changes that have occurred in the neighborhood throughout your time here?
HA: It makes me upset sometimes when I see people I have known for so long leave because of something they cannot control, but despite this, this place is so much safer. Oh my Goodness, if you would have seen how it was like when I was your age… it used to be so bad. You could not walk the streets like you can now, it would be way too dangerous. Aside from that, the number of the fancy coffee shops increased and there have been people “outside” of Astoria coming in, most of them being white. These stores, they are not necessities, they are luxuries I did not need or have as a kid. People I’ve known for years do not go to those places… it’s just too expensive. For example, Infinitea on Astoria Blvd… very very small cafe, but it just showed up not too long ago… and it’s right next to a school. I am sure they are making lots of money.
AA: Do you believe this could be beneficial to the community? How so?
HA: Yes, like I said it is a lot safer but also you know, the new restaurants and fancy supermarkets are also taking in employees. My brother’s daughter works right down the block and she is making good money and before, she struggled to get a job because there were not any open spots if you know what I mean. Yes, there are people who could not stay here but it is to make it better, you know? It’s for something good. The only problem is the rent. Thank God, I have been here for a very long time, this does not affect me as much but many people here cannot pay the rent because of the real estate hype.
Interview Results
Interviewees: Ana Rodriguez the owner of Erica’s, a South American restaurant located on Jamaica Ave between 160th St and Parsons Blvd in Downtown Jamaica. Mrs. Rodrigues has been the owner of Erica’s for the last 8 years, she’s currently working there with her daughter Jefany. The purpose of conducting an interview with Ana and Jefany was to gather a better understanding on how the new franchise could affect the restaurants close by. Ali Al-Haider, the owner of Mas convenience deli of 25 years and local resident, was interviewed with the intention of learning more on how the new businesses have affected the deli. Marcus Robinson is a resident of the area, he has under three years living in Downtown Jamaica. Abdul Salm is one of the many fruit vendors in Jamaica and has been living in the area for the last 30 year, he was interviewed in order to gather information on how these new franchises might be affecting the vendors in the community. Ali Bouras is one of the workers in the Stop 1 deli, he has been living and working in the area for the past five years.
Question 1: Do you believe it’s getting harder maintaining the business since the arrival of the franchises?
Jefany: In response to the question, Jefany said that they have noticed a drastic decline in customers ever since the new Chipotle and Panda Express opened across the street. The once full restaurant now looks deserted, Jefany claims that it’s a direct effect of the new franchises.
Abdul Salm: Mr. Salm says that the new establishments are not affecting the business because it’s too small to be affected, he did notice that “Everything is slow.”
Question 2: How has the new franchises helped your business grow?
Ali Al-Haider: Ali believes that the new franchises have helped his business, he states that “The big businesses bring more customers into the area” if anything that it’s the same businesses (delis) that make it hard. Ali claims it’s all about who has the best service when it comes to the delis in the area he states that, “competition is not good”. However the new businesses are having a positive impact because they bring new and different customers into the area.
Ali Bouras: He says that “more businesses bring more people which is good.”
Question 3: Have you noticed an increase in rent ever since the new development started in Downtown Jamaica?
Marcus Robinson: “Urban start coming, rent start rising, and people get kicked out” he also noticed that “Rent is being raised, businesses are going out of business”
Abdul Salm: Mr. Salm has lived in the area for 30 years, he stated that, “the rent is higher now that they’re making the building higher.”
Ali Al-Haider: Mr. Al-Haider states that in the 25 years of living in the neighborhood of Downtown Jamaica “the rent for my apartment has gotten up, every year the rent goes up.”
Jefany: when asked about the rent in the restaurant she said that it has gone down, she’s not sure why.
Ali Bouras: He says that he has noticed the rent increases, that “ it never goes down, when has it ever gone down? It only goes up.”
Survey Results
An online survey was conducted from the dates of November 24th, 2020 through December 7th, 2020 with a purposive sample group via the social media platforms Reddit and Instagram. Specific individuals were targeted to take this survey, those who lived within the gentrifying neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, Downtown Jamaica, and Astoria. Such an audience was reached through neighborhood forums on Reddit and personal contacts on Instagram. Methods for this survey were detailed in the Methods section. The purpose of this survey was so that residents of potentially gentrifying areas could voice their observations and share their personal accounts of being affected by gentrification.
For the first couple of questions, it was imperative to learn a little bit about the responder before asking them for their input regarding gentrification. Their race, household income, and the time they lived in their area was asked to gauge any potential correlations of the answers they would give and possibly provide connections with other research and knowledge. For example, an Astoria resident mentions that they are unable to purchase a home in their area. With household income in mind, it was concluded that their household income, within $50,000 to $100,000 was possibly not enough to purchase a home in Astoria. On the other hand, an individual with a household income of $100,000 would possibly be able to afford the same home and therefore, not have this issue and provide a different, maybe more positive outlook on gentrification.
Overall, residents of the three neighborhoods record witnessing specific signs of gentrification. These questions covered the topic regarding signs and evidence of gentrification present in their neighborhood in addition to whether or not these signs of gentrification were helpful or a hindrance to their community. For a survey question that focuses on the presence of gentrification in the areas of Jackson Heights, Downtown Jamaica, and Astoria, data is perceived as reliable because of the intentional purposive sample group of individuals who responded to the survey. Furthermore, responders had the option to not respond if no evidence of gentrification was ever noticed. Results include 72% of residents having experienced the opening of new franchises and big businesses. 66% indicated that the creation of new housing developments was prevalent in their area. 45% of responders personally witnessed local stores closing or in need of help spanning all three neighborhoods. 45% noted that rent was increasing. 31% highlighted that people and stores were getting displaced. 17% of people responded having personally witnessed wealthier individuals move into the area. A responder from Astoria who’s lived in the area for more than 10 years selected the choices New housing developments, New franchises, Rent increase, Noticed people or stores being displaced and utilized the other section to additionally add “College educated people living in as roommates. Only recent immigrants or very poor used to live with unrelated people in an apartment before mid 2000s”. See figure 1 below. The following question, whether or not the signs of gentrification was considered helpful or a hindrance, was rather polarizing. 19% of responders either chose strongly agree or strongly disagree when asked if the signs of gentrification they noticed were beneficial for the community. An overwhelming 29% of individuals were indifferent with these changes. See figure 2.
Overall, residents of the three neighborhoods were asked to recall any personal experience with gentrification and if there is anything that they consider significant that has affected them with the coming of gentrification. Many responses were related to home prices being out of reach. For instance, an Astoria resident of over 10 years mentions, “I’d like to buy a permanent home in Astoria but prices keep going sky high where my salary simply can’t keep up”. Another Astoria resident elaborates on the idea of skyrocketing housing prices by explaining, “Cannot buy a house in my own neighborhood. Houses used to cost $150,000 until early 2000s, now are above one million for even the worst condition single story shack”. Interestingly enough, multiple responders from Astoria also mention a beloved grocery store that was closed down and replaced by a Target, one stating, “lost our favorite grocery store – Target is replacing it”. Another noteworthy experience that many have gone through is rent increasing. The Jackson Heights resident recalls, “My mother’s good friend was evicted from her Jackson Heights apt where she’s lived for the past 20 years. She could no longer afford the rent and now lives in my spare bedroom”. On the other hand, another Jackson Heights resident provides an analysis as to why gentrification has affected them in a positive manner. To sum up, they explain how the new developments provided more jobs and that they were able to attain a home easier due to an ever-increasing housing supply. These homes provided this individual with a “21st century standard of living”, with his home including a dishwasher, laundry and dryer, better sound isolation in the wall, etc, and at a reasonable price compared to neighboring areas close to Manhattan. This resident also depicts the new restaurants and businesses as appealing to the next generation of New Yorkers. In addition, they also state how imperative it is to realize that this is still New York City, one of the largest cities in the world and how “we shouldn’t hamper progress and development for the sake of maintaining the status quo”. All in all, these testimonies show how drastic or how minimally gentrification can actually affect different types of people.
Figure 1
Figure 2: 1- Strongly Disagree, 5- Strongly Agree
Discussion
All things considered, the hypothesis is that gentrification is heavily impacting the community of Astoria with its new commercial and residential complexes, driving others out and inevitably diluting the neighborhood of its culture. The displacement of low-income residents and the influx of wealthier ones decreases the availability of affordable housing and increases the rent prices of commercial properties, changing the area itself. Per the field observation, many signs suggested the current climate of gentrification. Several different cafes and restaurants were catering to a more expensive audience as well as, The Food Emporium, located on 29th street on Broadway which provides a cleaner look to the street, but infamous for its rising prices in grocery and deli foods. Also, condominiums, co-ops, and generally new apartment complexes have been spotted throughout Astoria. The locations range from 30th Street to Broadway but they still hold the same expensive appearance, with the rent prices going no less than $3,000 a month.
Hisham Abbas, who was interviewed as a part of this field report, shared his noticings on these apartments and how the rent has gone overwhelmingly high stating that, “many people here cannot pay the rent because of the real estate hype.” Thus, he supports the idea that the real estate industry or investors are contributing to gentrification as low income tenants are being displaced due to the rising rent prices. He also provides another example of a cafe, Infinitea on Astoria Blvd, that had appeared over the recent years and he goes on by saying that “these stores, they are not necessities, they are luxuries I did not need or have as a kid. People I’ve known for years do not go to those places… it’s just too expensive [it’s]… a very very small cafe, but it just showed up not too long ago… and it’s right next to a school. I am sure they are making lots of money.” Abbas speaks very passionately at the changes that are happening to his community, starting with the amount of displacement he has seen over his great time living and working in the neighborhood. Although he’s stated that he acknowledges the changes of the community are inevitable and make it more safer, it feels as if there is another way to do this rather than pushing out those who are not financially stable and catering to those who are. The expected results were that there would be some individuals that noticed a change and felt deeply impacted by it, depending on how long they have lived or worked in the community. Also, those who would be identified with a household income of $100,000, thought that gentrification was more a positive aspect of the community changing as they did not bear any of the issues of gentrification. There were not any unexpected findings.
The survey results indicated that 72% of the residents had witnessed the development of big corporations in their local area. This supports the idea that gentrification is very common within the communities and that it does not go unnoticed, regardless of how long the person is living there. Also, 45% of the survey respondents stated that they have seen struggling small businesses within the area, indicating that they are in the process of displacement. This supports the idea that displacement is common as well, a great risk factor of gentrification. Small businesses financially struggle to stay put when big developers come in, later displacing people who are considered of the low income receiving bracket.
A recommendation for the issue moving forward would be for the city to provide more authentic, affordable housing for low income tenants. Also, it would be helpful to fund programs that specialize in these kinds of issues, such as housing programs that provide safety protection plans for tenants. Another recommendation would be to aim more support for small businesses and coalitions that support said businesses and provide convenient access for affordable housing programs. All things considered, there needs to be an upper hand given to those struggling to find affordable housing as well as the resources that aren’t given enough aid themselves to bring displacement rates down.
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https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/new-york/articles/a-brief-history-of-astoria-queens/
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