Poll:Do Cities Have a Responsibility to Prevent Gentrification?

The Pasadena Star News ^ | February 21, 2006 | Wayne Lusvardi

[WayneLusvardi]

FREEP THIS POLL! The Pasadena Star News is running a poll (possibly in support of "inclusionary housing" and other interventions in the housing market in Pasadena)as follows: Do cities have a responsibility to prevent gentrification? Yes No Go to this link and enter your response: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ (scroll down the front page under Today's Forecast and Quotables to the "Cast Your Vote" Box:

[WayneLusvardi]

FREEPERS Blitz

[N. Theknow]

Let's hear it for a collection to buy a halfway house and put it in Brentwood.

[metesky]

Do cities have a responsibility to prevent gentrification?

Total Votes = 80

Yes

  28 Votes, or 35 %

No

  52 Votes, or 65 %

[ElkGroveDan]

Are you some kind of a slum-o-phobe?

Urban decay is in the eye of the beholder you know.

[AZRepublican]

Sure they do if the property owner has abandoned all upkeep and care of the property.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Gentrification usually is the only thing that really keeps cities from rotting at the core...People want to insure city rot?

[Bahbah]

Heck, I think cities should encourage gentrification, not prevent it.

[dynachrome]

FREEP THIS POLL ***PING!*** FRmail me and gordongekko909 if you want to be added or removed from the Freep this Poll! Ping list. And be sure to ping me to any polls that need Freepin', if I miss them. (looks like a medium volume list) Gentrification = less slums. (as long as it ain't the government doing it by force)

[speedy]

Yeah, let's defend the inalienable right to have slums. Many famous people have been born in slums, so we need to maintain this precious cultural heritage.

[SauronOfMordor]

What they're really asking is "Shall we allow city governments to stop white folks from moving in and making it harder to elect a full Dem slate?"

[Clemenza]

Ah yes. Replacing check cashing stores and bodegas with boutiques and restaurants is awful I tell you!

[rcofdayton]

When I linked to the site, it would not let me vote. Then I opened up another internet window and typed in the web address, and bravo! I could vote.

[dynachrome]

Do cities have a responsibility to prevent gentrification?
Total Votes = 115
Yes
32 Votes, or 27.82 %
No
83 Votes, or 72.17 %

[WayneLusvardi]

Pour it on - the opposition forces may have a comeback. Thanks.

[jude24]

While cities unequivocally should not oppose gentrification, since that has the potential to revitalize urban centers, they must ensure that there is available affordable housing.

[BenLurkin]

Are you sure it is prevent gentrification?

You'd think cities would encourage renewal.

[Heyworth]

Are you sure it is prevent gentrification?

Probably. Pasadena's bad neighborhoods have been gentrifying for a while and the minority community (and political power base for a few) have been squeezed. They want protection.

[arthurus]

DON'T ALLOW OUR CITY TO LOSE IT'S HISTORIC SLUMS! Not by private lot by lot market action, at least. Wait for Urban Renewal to simply throw masses of people out of their homes and then bulldoze whole neighborhoods instead. That's the preferred way to do it.

[popdonnelly]

Why would a city want to prevent gentrification? It's a net benefit to the city.

[WayneLusvardi]

Pasadena wants to prevent gentrification to protect low income renters who are leaving town and diminishing the Democratic political base