www.TransformingTransportation.org

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Without

Gentrification: Towards Smart Cities That

Promote Social Justice

Charles Hostovsky, Professor - Catholic University

of America Presented at Transforming Transportation 2015

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (TOD)

WITHOUT GENTRIFICATION: TOWARDS SMART

CITIES THAT PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE

Prof. Charles Hostovsky, PhD, MCIP

Catholic University of America – Washington DC

School of Architecture & Planning

City & Regional Planning Program

MY STORY

Born, raised, and

educated in Toronto

Canada

Faculty at the University

of Toronto for 15 years

Moved to Washington DC

(Brookland) 2 years ago

This naive Canadian urban planner, academic,

and hockey player felt “slapped in the face by

gentrification as I discovered I was a

“gentrifier”

EL FUTURO QUE QUEREMOS

“… to ensure that

social inclusion,

economic growth

and a clean and

secure environment

go hand in hand…” UNDP 2012

US HUD

“Gentrification

process by which a

neighborhood

occupied by lower-

income households

undergoes

revitalization or

reinvestment through

the arrival of upper-

income households.” Shaw/U St. area 2013

photo C. Hostovsky

USA NEW URBAN RENEWAL (1992-2007)

240,000 people displaced by demolition of public housing in USA

80% African American who suffered disproportionately as they make up only 48% of this housing nationwide

Although certain segments of the African American community benefited

(Edward Goetz 2011, Derek Hyra 2012)

Pruitt–Igoe 2,870 unit public

housing in St. Louis

demolished 1978

"Pruitt-igoeUSGS02" by United States Geological

Survey Licensed under Public Domain via

Wikimedia Commons

CONTROVERSY

“Gentrification… has emerged as one of the most controversial issues in the urban United States today.”

“The fear of displacement has been one of the motivating forces behind community activists organizing against gentrification.” Lance Freeman, Columbia U, 2005

Facebook.com/EmpowerD

C

CONSENSUS IN THE RESEARCH…

1. Central city neighborhoods

2. Predominantly African American low-income households that have experienced disinvestment

3. Influx of the relatively affluent or “gentry”… predominantly white Notwithstanding it has more to do with “class”

than race

4. Increase in neighborhood investment e.g. TOD

5. Displacement of inner-city Black population results in shift in the suburban population i.e. “White flight”

FERGUSON: SUBURB OF ST. LOUIS

By 2008 the population of the poor in suburbs across the USA growing twice as fast as in city centers

St. Louis - public housing demolished gentrifying & growing white

population

St. Louis Housing Authority –vouchers to displaced for subsided rentals in Ferguson 1970 - 1% Black

1980 - 14% Black

1990 - 25% Black

2010 - 67% Black

1 .Newsone.com

2. HuffingtonPost.com

DC IN “GENTRIFICATION OVERDRIVE”

One of the fastest revitalizing cities in the USA

Substantive Metro transit system mostly built in the 1970s through 1990s …delayed Transit

Oriented Development

“perfect storm of converging forces took hold in the late 1990s and propelled the downtown area toward an economic crescendo in 2007” Gerry Widdicombe, Director of Economic

Development at the DowntownDC BID

9th & N St – DCrealestate.com

before

after

DC CENSUS DATA

1970 Black 71%

1980 Black 70%

1990 Black 66%

2000 Census

572,059 residents

Black 59%

White 27%

2010 Census

621,321 residents

Black 49% decrease of 39,000

White 35% larger than the increase in

the city’s population

KEY: Ethnicity

Red = White

Blue = Black

https://zgeography.wordpress.com/2013/03/

RESULT

In new mixed-race communities, Blacks experience: Not only a physical displacement to the suburbs, but

also a cultural displacement for those who remain

Loss of identity, small Black businesses and culture landmarks, feeling of alienation

Loss if political power as the assertive gentry take control

Research indicates that many Blacks who can afford to stay decide to move out anyway Interview with Derek Hyra, American U

MICRO-SEGREGATION & CONFLICT

Separate entrances

for condo-owner

gentry and

subsidized rental in

the same building in

New York City

Rich Door Poor Door

time.com/money/

Sarina Finkelstein—Marcus Lindström/Bronxgebiet/Getty

Images

CREATIVE INNOVATIONS NEEDED

Political Equity:

How do we ensure that

African Americans in

revitalizing

neighborhoods have

effective and meaning

say in local decision-

making?

CREATIVE INNOVATIONS NEEDED

Social Equity:

How do we ensure that

African Americans cultural

landmarks, architecture,

and history are preserved

in revitalized

neighborhoods?

Shaw/U St. area 2013

photo C. Hostovsky

CREATIVE INNOVATIONS NEEDED

Education Equity:

Schools which remain largely segregated as the gentrifiers send their children to private schools out of the neighborhood DC Black high schools described

as “drop-out machines” 55% Black graduation

(www.osse.dc.gov)

87% White graduation

How do we ensure that African Americans benefit from changes in the schools

Facebook.com/EmpowerD

C

CREATIVE INNOVATIONS NEEDED

Racial Equity:

Interview with Don Edwards

Mediator, civic engagement designer

CEO of Justice & Sustainability Associates in DC

“How ready are residents to remove the barriers of residential segregation”

“We need Neighborhoods of Choice”

twitter.com/mencerdonahue

justicesustainability.com

ACCORDING TO EDWARDS…

Transit Oriented Development also needs

Co-location of services Government buildings

Government services

Multi-purpose centers

Broader range of housing types with a rethink on the Area Median Income affordable housing formula Provide affordable “work-force”

housing

www.facebook.com/onedcorganizing#!

CASE STUDY: REGENT PARK TORONTO

Canada's oldest & largest social housing project, 1940s

69 acres entirely social housing to alleviate social problems and crime, but problems reemerged

Average income half of Torontonians, 68% below poverty line – Black Caribbean, Chinese, SE Asian immigrants

canadianimmigrant.ca

www.rapdict.org

CASE STUDY: REGENT PARK TORONTO

Mixed Use Revitalizing Plan - Guaranteed replaced RGI

Rental Units: 2,083

- New Affordable Rental Units: 310 (Additional units in future)

- New “Market Units”: 5,400

- New amenities Arts and Cultural Centre, Aquatic Centre, park, Athletic Grounds

- New Retail Space & New Employment: 755 jobs

- Employment and Enterprise Hub - Support for employers in

screening and hiring local residents

http://leadinggreen.ca/

CONCLUSION

City Planners need to go beyond preventing or minimizing displacement.

We need to find ways to integrate race and class.

We need political, racial, educational and cultural equity in revitalized neighborhoods

We must work hard together to find creative innovations.

I wish I had the answers…..