Gentrification: What it is and why it matters
Gentrification has become a buzzword to describe changing urban neighborhoods, but what does it really mean?
Neighborhood perspectives
How can we build a more equitable Chattanooga? Let’s start with neighborhoods.
They are the building blocks of a city. Over time, they change in subtle ways. They can also transform rapidly in response to new trends, investment or challenges.
Neighborhoods face big, often-contentious questions:
- When does development cross the line between progress and gentrification?
- What makes housing affordable for a broad range of residents?
- How can we encourage development without compromising a neighborhood’s essential qualities?
For this series, Metro Ideas Project is exploring the character of Chattanooga’s neighborhoods. Some pieces are educational and informative. Others look at outside-the-box strategies to strengthen our communities.
Our goal is to prompt serious thought and debate around making our neighborhoods more equitable—a discussion we believe can be extended to the region at large.
Our research
A snapshot of affordable housing in Chattanooga
Understanding what is meant by “affordable housing” is the first step in addressing the complex issue that impacts and is impacted by not only housing but also workforce and economic development.
Diversify Chattanooga's economy with a food incubator
A food incubator would help entrepreneurs — including many immigrants — overcome first-year barriers to getting a restaurant off the ground.
Further reading
Chattanooga rent prices rise three times faster than income
The Times Free Press reports on rising rents, which are outpacing income gains in Chattanooga.
About this project
Our neighborhood series explores ways to build a more equitable Chattanooga. Some pieces are educational and informative. Others look at outside-the-box strategies to strengthen our communities.