Measuring a neighborhood planning unit-V (NPU-V): Residents’ perceptions of problems associated with gentrification

Abstract

ABSTRACT Researchers assert that Atlanta is one of the fastest-gentrifying cities in the United States due to its associated high poverty rates, rising housing costs, and displacement. Previous studies that relied on static gentrification measures have not assessed the lived experiences of residents. To better understand residents’ experiences, we applied a list of problems associated with gentrification that was generated from a study of a neighborhood planning unit-V (NPU-V) resident leaders/stakeholders. We transformed that list into a survey and used it to assess residents’ perceptions of the impact of gentrification. We conducted factor analysis on the survey responses of 63 residents in a neighborhood. We identified five factors that represent the domain of consequences that resulted from long-term poor planning for affordable housing. This survey offers a way to assess the residents’ needs when they are faced with the inevitable cycle of “displace and replace” that is associated with gentrification and may be useful in ensuring that legacy residents needs are addressed.