A Place for Everyone

But starting small also means making significant new interventions in the future, where possible, to attract other target groups and functions to the neighborhoods. Wiping everything away makes little sense to me. Adding extra impulses not only improves the quality of life of the original residents, but also attracts other groups within the city. Giving everyone the space to take on the responsibility of caring and nurturing for the neighborhood is pure gentrification if you ask me. Coming together in different colors, cultures and ways of thinking is the most beautiful thing there is, it enriches our lives. The key here is adding, not demolishing it completely and starting over. The people are the neighborhood, they should not be displaced. 

Gentrification is often seen as a bulldozer crushing all intimate life in a neighborhood. People fear the word gentrification. When I google the word, articles come up that describe gentrification is no longer an organic phenomenon, but a means to an end used by the governments to lift a neighborhood faster socially and economically to attract more ‘desirable’ residents in underdeveloped neighborhoods. As a result, the residents who live in those ‘deprived’ neighborhoods are chased away, displaced if you will. 

Even in a city like Rotterdam, which claims to be there for everyone, we see this happening. South of the river, social housing is rapidly making way for more expensive housing. In these neighborhoods, the original resident is forced to make room for the more attractive groups, which the government justifies as gentrification. Of course, this change also brings a positive side. Here an opportunity is created to accommodate new residents in the neighborhood and thus contributes to a healthy mix. At first glance, this mix does not seem to be a major problem. However, when the displaced communities no longer have a chance to resettle in the neighborhood, ’gentrification’ on this scale becomes a problem. Then the question arises, is it still gentrification? 

The moment everything is overhauled and the intangible cultural heritage, customs and cultures of the current residents are not respected, the ‘positive’ change no longer has any value. This change is therefore a direct development, and not gentrification, which technically should happen organically. This should change. For a better and healthier city, everyone should have a place. The city has to grow, and gentrification is a great cycle that can be stimulated by the government, rather than imposed. 

Just as important as giving the city back to the flaneur, is preserving the space for the original resident of the neighborhood. They are the heart and soul of the place. To this day little to no consideration is given to the residents in these kind of ‘problematic’ neighborhoods. To me this is a great shame. Stimulating getrification by starting small in a neighborhood can add a lot of quality. Think of subsidie for upgrading streets, homes, organizing collectives or organizing events.