Bedford Stuyvesant Rentals Are Part Of Gentrification There

By Allyson Burke


It may seem a contradiction in terms to want to find a rental in Bedford Stuyvesant or to be doing anything but buying up properties and getting rid of rentals, but Bedford Stuyvesant rentals raise some of the most interesting questions about the direction of the neighborhood. There was a time when to rent there meant nearly assuring yourself of becoming the victim of crime. Even now with many new properties fixed up or old ones torn down the crime rate is too high for most. Two gentrification efforts have taken place in the twenty-first century, one in 2000 and one in 2010. The neighborhood is changing in good and bad ways.

Predominantly an African-American neighborhood until recently, Bed-Stuy, has been, a place for mostly blacks who could not find livable units in Harlem to live and go to school. There are several public schools nearby, one named after the famous actor and singer, Paul Robeson. This unusual neighborhood is located in the northwest part of Brooklyn, and is known for elegant brownstone townhouses, a favorite to re-do by architects. However its chief population and social problems have always kept gentrification away.

Now, as more and more attorneys, restaurants, bars, clubs, galleries, cafes and creative offices move in to the Bed-Stuy area in favor of the cheaper rents, the texture of this unique part of New York is changing quickly. Old time residents are feeling the strain on their rents and ownership as new tenants with much more cash move in to occupy. Another feature of the neighborhood besides architecturally-inviting buildings is its proximity to good metropolitan train and bus service. This makes transportation for commuters easy.

many notable African-Americans have been born, grown up and lived in Bed-Stuy. Among them are the politician Shirley Chisholm, singer Lena Horne, musician Richie havens, and actress Vanessa Williams. Rap music has been highly popular and numerous well known rappers have emerged from Bed-Stuy streets. The most noteworthy white person to have grown up there was comedian Jackie Gleason.

Lower prices for property, transport, proximity to Pratt, and overall affordability make this place a gem for opportunistic thinkers. Gentrification implements new policing at the same time and so crime rates are driven down. Crime has always made Bed-Stuy cheaper to live in than other neighborhoods. It remains a frontier for those willing to invest in order to secure property and assets in New York, even if it is in Brooklyn. The whole of Brooklyn is becoming more desirable.

The problem of gentrification is that it tends to dramatically change the character, texture, and long-term tenancy of a neighborhood and its populations. It almost always forces out poor people in favor of those who can pay high rents when renovations have taken place. These people have frequently lived in these places for decades; are seniors, the ill, or the disabled.

the history of immigration in Bed-Stuy is one of African and Caribbean influx. Many new families there are also black, but upwardly mobile and middle income. Landmarks such as Pratt make for a positive and educated community, one which will also invest in lowering crime and developing.

All in all, some change in a neighborhood can produce benefits to locals, however Bedford Stuyvesant rentals must be secured for those with the lowest-income and longest personal commitment to the community there. Otherwise, you have poor resolution of differences and sustainability is impossible.




About the Author:





No comments:

Post a Comment