Opinion of Gentrification

[Sbane]

Just watched a movie about gentrification in San Francisco and I had to ask.

[Sbane]

Do you think it is a good thing or not? I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand it makes urban neighborhoods a more desirable place to live and play in but it does end up displacing those who lived there before. Still, should the people who want to move to the city not move there? Many move there because their jobs are closeby...should they really commute in from the suburbs so they don't displace poor people?

[Sbane]

Generally negative but it's a very complicated issue that just "positive" or "negative" don't really fit.

Yeah, should have included that neutral option. That seems to be the right answer here. Obviously the plight of the people who have lived in these neighborhoods should be taken into account, but people should be free to move wherever they want. Especially if it is done for convenience, such as living close to work, I don't see how one can criticize it. Of course those who work in Silicon Valley, but commute by train from SF everyday are a group that could be criticized.