Does gentrification lead to increased displacement of vulnerable low-income households? To date, research findings have been surprisingly mixed. One explanation may be that most gentrification studies focus on individual cities, which vary substantially from place to place, or the entire U.S., which may overlook local or regional differences. Hyojung Lee joins us to discuss his new study with coauthor Kristin Perkins which categorizes the country into eight unique geographies according to shared characteristics, searching for differences in how gentrification impacts displacement of low-income households. It persuasively finds that gentrification does lead to more household moves — and importantly, more downward moves — and can hopefully inform further research and more location-appropriate anti-displacement strategies.

Show notes:

• Lee, H., & Perkins, K. L. (2022). The geography of gentrification and residential mobility. Social Forces, soac086.
• Read more about the Cheonggyecheon freeway removal here.
• Freeman, L., & Braconi, F. (2004). Gentrification and displacement New York City in the 1990s. Journal of the American Planning Association, 70(1), 39-52.
• Ellen, I. G., & O'Regan, K. (2011). Gentrification: Perspectives of economists and planners. The Oxford Handbook of Urban Economics and Planning, 371–391.
• Hwang, J., & Ding, L. (2020). Unequal displacement: gentrification, racial stratification, and residential destinations in Philadelphia. American Journal of Sociology, 126(2), 354-406.
• UCLA Housing Voice podcast episode 7 with Kristin Perkins.
• UCLA Housing Voice podcast episode 12 with Elizabeth Delmelle.