|aThis item must not be sold to any third party vendors.
520
|aGentrification is a real aspect of American life and society in most cities in the United States, and it cannot be denied that gentrification impacts human values and society to a great degree. Understanding what gentrification is, how Washington, DC (DC) is experiencing it, and who is benefitting and suffering, is critical to understanding how to fix the problems and distribute the benefits of gentrification to all citizens. DC is a ripe city for study, as indicated in a recent study conducted by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in March of 2019. This study confirmed that out of all United States cities, though New York City has had the most gentrification in terms of sheer volume, DC was the most gentrified by percentage of eligible neighborhoods that experienced gentrification. In short, in the year 2019, it was revealed that DC had the most intense levels of gentrification in the country. This thesis paper will explore the positive and negative results of gentrification over the past 25 years in DC and will explore alternative solutions for the future. In Chapter 1, the term gentrification will be explored as a topic of study, specifically how it relates to both policy and poverty, as well as how gentrification effects society as a whole. In Chapter 2, the history of DC will be outlined and analyzed, reviewing the past 25 years of the historical and political history of DC. Chapter 3 will explore how economic growth led to DC’s transformation, resulting in gentrification, specifically focusing on the change that has taken place in the U Street/Shaw neighborhood. Chapter 4 will focus on the interviews of leaders in industries and non-profits who have been involved in gentrification and neighborhood change. Finally, Chapter 5 will conclude the thesis paper by reviewing the positive and negative changes gentrification has brought, and will continue to bring, to DC’s housing and culture, while discussing what can be done differently to address future challenges as DC’s neighborhoods continue to change.