Suburban Sprawl Is Not Always Gentrification

Posted at 10:46 am on Monday, August 14, 2006, in Uncategorized.

Rob Goodspeed (I am not making that name up; Nicolas Cage’s character in “The Rock” is named for his cousin; okay, I made that part up) blogged recently about the history of the word “gentrification,” specifically its usage in the Washington, D.C., area. I have had some experience with the term being used incorrectly and somewhat maliciously, so I decided to opine on his blog… (Note: I am trying to shield any bias I may have due to the industry in which I work.)

I am always confused/flustered when I hear “gentrification” used in discussion incorrectly. I find that many people use the word in the context of suburban sprawl and take advantage of its weighty and powerful meaning. This is disingenuous, at best, and at the very least, hurtful rhetoric that does little to further public discourse on true redevelopment issues. Peace blog.

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