Household Diversity in Revitalizing Neighborhoods

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Abstract
This article presents findings on changes in neighborhood composition during revitalization. It is based on interviews conducted with in-movers in two neighborhoods that had been revitalizing for approximately ten years at the time of the study. The results indicate that in-mover owners and in-mover renters constitute two relatively distinct populations. Owners fit the popular conception of "urban gentry"-young, highly educated persons employed in professional occupations. The majority of in-mover renters, on the other hand, have incomes low enough to qualify for federally assisted housing; they also continue to move into revitalizing neighborhoods, although many of them pay a large proportion of their incomes for rent. Many of the "pioneers" who purchased and renovated properties for their own use in the early years of revitalization have left the neighborhoods, many after relatively short stays. The revitalization has proved to be robust, however, as both neighborhoods continued to attract relatively affluent home-owners to replace the departed pioneers.