Perceived Impact of Gentrification on Health and Well-Being: Exploring Social Capital and Coping Strategies in Gentrifying Neighborhoods

Abstract

Despite its positive aspects, gentrification has been criticized for displacing the longtime low-income minorities. This study examined the role of social capital and community activism through the ecosocial, politico-ecological, and structuralist lens to explore the perceived impact of gentrification on residents’ health and well-being. A key informant interview (KII = 1) and in-depth interviews (IDI = 9) were conducted between June and October; the participants were recruited from those partaking in a Neighborhood and Health survey in Austin, Texas, during summer of 2020. Several themes related to environmental stress and weak neighborhood interest emerged deductively, and other themes emerged inductively. Participants acknowledged that gentrification brings attention to the physical environment in terms of basic amenities that could improve well-being; they equally felt that displacement and increased property tax could be a source of stress to longtime residents, particularly older residents. These findings can help local governments and policymakers develop related policies and projects to better support citizens’ health and well-being, especially those facing uncertainties due to urban renewal.

尽管绅士化有积极的一面, 但由于它迁移并取代了长期低收入的少数人口,绅士化也受到了批评。透过生态社会、政治生态与结构主义的视角, 本研究探讨了社会资本与社区行动主义的作用, 以及绅士化对居民健康与福祉的影响。2020年夏季6月至10月, 我们开展了关键合作者采访（KII = 1）和深度采访（IDI = 9）。采访的对象为美国德克萨斯州奥斯汀市的“社区与健康”调查参与者。本研究以演绎的方式提出有关环境压力和弱社区利益的话题, 而其它话题则以归纳形式提出。受访者认为, 绅士化使人们注意到物质环境（即, 能改善福祉的基本便利条件）, 迁移和房产税的增加可能会给长期居民（特别是老年居民）带来压力。这些发现可以帮助地方政府和决策者制定相关的政策和计划, 从而更好地支持公民（特别是因城市改造而面临不确定性的那些人）的健康和福祉。

Pese a sus aspectos positivos, la gentrificación ha sido criticada por desplazar las minorías que han vivido largo tiempo con bajos ingresos. Este estudio examinó el papel del capital social y el activismo comunitario a través de las lentes ecosociales, político-ecológicas y estructuralistas para explorar el impacto percibido de la gentrificación sobre la salud y el bienestar de los residentes. Se administraron una entrevista clave con informante (KII = 1) y entrevistas a profundidad (IDI = 9), entre junio y octubre; los participantes se reclutaron entre quienes participaron en el estudio Vecindario y Salud en Austin, Texas, durante el verano del 2020. Varios temas relacionados con estrés ambiental e interés débil del vecindario surgieron deductivamente, y otros temas emergieron inductivamente. Los participantes reconocieron que la gentrificación aporta atención al medio ambiente físico en términos de las comodidades básicas que podrían mejorar el bienestar; igualmente, ellos sintieron que el desplazamiento y el incremento de los impuestos a la propiedad podrían ser una fuente de estrés de larga duración para los residentes, en particular para los residentes de mayor edad. Estos hallazgos pueden ayudar a los gobiernos locales y a los legisladores a desarrollar políticas relacionadas y proyectos para mejor ayudar a la salud y al bienestar de los residentes, en especial de aquellos que enfrentan incertidumbres debido a la renovación urbana.

Key Words:

• coping mechanism
• gentrification
• health and well-being
• political ecology
• social capital

关键词：:

• 应对机制
• 绅士化
• 健康和福祉,政治生态
• 社会资本。

Palabras clave::

• capital social
• ecología política
• gentrificación
• mecanismo de superación
• salud y bienestar

Acknowledgments

We are thankful for the support of Dr. Howard, Dr. Hagelman, Dr. Zhan, and Dr. Weaver and for their comments and guidance throughout the research.

Notes

1 Neighborhood conditions include sociocultural, economic, demographic, and political, which can overturn neighborhood characteristics overtime.

2 Critical health literature argues that people living in a gentrifying environment are more susceptible to multiple social and environmental outcomes, including displacement and air pollution (Mehdipanah et al. 2018; Antunes, March, and Connolly 2020).

3 This perspective explores the political and economic realities such as urban renewal programs and tree planting projects surrounding decisions to transform the natural environment by examining the links between actors that occur across multiple scales (Emch, Root, and Carrel 2017).

4 In addition to proximity and vibrant urban lifestyle, the intentionality of controlling nature in transforming the human environment set East Austin up for today’s gentrification.

5 Nine volunteers participated in the IDI, and a community leader served as the key informant for the study.

6 Originally, the IDIs were supposed to be one-on-one before the pandemic happened, but the plan changed to electronic interviews. There were twelve structured questions for all participants, and they were allowed to speak as long as they wanted without interruption. The limited interview time can be attributed to the fact that the interviews were conducted over Zoom, which might reduce the level of confidence and reduce interaction. The KII, which took place physically at the community leader’s office before the pandemic, lasted more than three hours.

7 Consistent with the literature on the advantages and disadvantages of gentrification (Steinmetz-Wood et al. 2017), most participants agreed that gentrification improves the general physical and social environments. The most frequently mentioned benefit was improved food environment, business, and other services. In particular, the increased presence of restaurants in previously minority neighborhoods is synonymous with gentrification or cultural change. Several participants identified restaurants and high-end cafés as a noticeable change to their neighborhoods over the former traditional restaurants that once served the Black and Hispanic communities.

8 Respondent referred to her other old neighbors.

9 Resident was referring to the urban tree.

10 Another participant’s reflection indicated that the city government might have genuine intentions toward neighborhood improvement but felt like there is a mismatch in the urban renewal policies’ purpose and outcome.

11 The lack of resident inclusion in the city’s development plans seems to have frustrated residents’ efforts in resisting gentrification. Whereas the LTRs in East Austin seem to be concerned about aging in place and struggling to survive the impact of urban renewal policies, the city government might be concerned about the benefit gentrification brings to the city in terms of economic improvements.

12 The purposive or convenience sampling technique adopted in selecting participants was to ensure that the study captures different voices and opinions from different local contexts (East vs. Southeast Austin; young adult vs. middle-aged adult vs. elderly).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayodeji Emmanuel Iyanda

AYODEJI EMMANUEL IYANDA is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Geography, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. His research interests include the impact of neighborhood context on health for policy implications addressing social and environmental justice.

Yongmei Lu

YONGMEI LU is a Professor of Geography and Chair in the Department of Geography at Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. Her research includes the application of geospatial technology in urban health.