Created Equal: Is gentrification without displacement possible?
On today’s episode of “Created Equal,” we talk about how economic development in the city can be more inclusive for long-time residents.
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How do we make economic change in Detroit without steamrolling the people — mostly Black people — who are the city’s majority population?
On today’s episode of Created Equal, we talk about how economic development in the city can be more inclusive. Host Stephen Henderson was joined by Chase Cantrell, a Detroit resident and founder of Building Community Value – a nonprofit committed to restoring vacant commercial property in the neighborhoods, to discuss.
He was also joined by Andre Perry of The Brookings Institution, whose recent research explores demographic shifts among the five neighborhoods of Detroit’s Livernois-McNichols corridor relative to recent investments, and if such investment can enter a majority-Black neighborhood without displacing long-time residents.
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Guests:
Andre Perry is a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution who researches race, structural inequality and education. He says the way in which investment enters an area influences the outcome for long-time residents.
“Everyone wants investment but if the investment comes too rapidly or it’s too large of an amount it creates a radical or dramatic change in which the residents can’t handle, they’re going to move out.”
Chase Cantrell is the founder of the nonprofit Building Community Value. He believes the investments in the Livernois-McNichols corridor may be more difficult to replicate in other areas of the city.
“…you have mostly homeowners in Bagley, University, Fitzgerald, and Martin Park [neighborhoods], so I think that’s part of the dynamic that’s happening,” Cantrell said. “When you look at other areas in the 139 square miles, I think that we have a lot more vulnerable populations who are at risk that rents could rise if things shift.”
Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.
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