Revitalizing America's Cities

Neighborhood Reinvestment and Displacement

By Michael H. Schill & Richard P. Nathan

Subjects: Public Policy
Series: SUNY series in Urban Public Policy
Paperback : 9780873957434, 184 pages, June 1984
Hardcover : 9780873957427, 184 pages, June 1984

Alternative formats available from:

View Table of Contents

Request Desk or Examination Copy
Request a Media Review Copy

Table of contents

List of Figures, Maps, and Tables

Acknowledgments

1. The Setting for Urban Neighborhood Reinvestment

2. Neighborhood Revitalization

3. Displacement

4. Methodology and Description of Study Areas

5. Results of the Displacement Study

 

Appendix: A Probit Model

 

6. Neighborhood Reinvestment, Displacement, and Public Policy

Appendix A. Survey Questionnairre and Cover Letter

Appendix B. A Note on Nonresponse Bias

Appendix C. Maps of Survey Neighborhoods

Appendix D. Survey Results by Summary Categories of Reasons for Moving

Notes

Index

Description

In many American cities, middle and upper income people are moving into neighborhoods that had previously suffered disinvestment and decay. The new residents renovate housing, stimulate business, and contribute to the tax base. These benefits of neighborhood revitalization are, in some cases, achieved at a potentially serious cost: the displacement of existing neighborhood residents by eviction, condominium conversion, or as a result of rent increases.

Revitalizing America's Cities investigates the reasons why the affluent move into revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods and the ways in which the new residents benefit the city. It also examines the resulting displaced households. Data are presented on displacement in nine revitalizing neighborhoods of five cities — the most comprehensive survey of displaced households conducted to date. The study reveals characteristics of displaced households and hardships encountered as a result of being forced from their homes.

Also featured is an examination of federal, state, and local policies toward neighborhood reinvestment and displacement, including various alternative approaches for dealing with this issue.

Michael H. Schill formerly directed a study of neighborhood reinvestment and displacement at the Princeton Urban and Regional Research Center, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University. A Princeton graduate and former Research Assistant, he is presently completing his law degree at Yale Law School. Richard P. Nathan is Professor of Public and International Affairs and Director, Princeton Urban and Regional Research Center, The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University.

Reviews

"This is the first comprehensive analysis of displacement data available. The findings are extremely important to scholars and policymakers interested in revitalization. " — Dennis R. Judd, Department of Political Science, University of Denver

"A timely and policy-relevant study" — Jeffrey R. Henig, Department of Political Science, George Washington University