The beginnings of gentrification?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-reservoir-hill-20100817,0,6735402.story

The above story is on the front page of Wednesday's Baltimore Sun. Madison Park North is a 70's style collection of brick and mortar buildings located on North Avenue which makes up the southern boundary of the Reservoir Hill neighborhood. (It is about a ten minute walk from RHHP)There are probably building complexes such as this in every city - well intentioned housing ventures to help the poor but that go off track over time. Madison Park North has been the topic of heated debate at many community meetings but the problems seem intractable. I hope the city's recent threat to pull the owner's license is a strategy to force the Tricap Corporation to make the necessary improvements in the complex and that the current residents will not have twill sell their building at prices to relocate. But a comment by Mr. Herring, long time Reservoir Hill resident, caught my eye. He asserted that the newer residents of Reservoir Hill are trying to "push residents who are poor or black out of the neighborhood." I sense that his remarks foreshadow the unavoidable and acrimonious debate about the gentrification of Reservoir Hill. This is a debate that will take place along the fault lines of class and race but more so on class. (There are also professional African Americans moving into the neighborhood.) The makings of this debate is becoming obvious as we see young white couples move in the area and fix up previously run down houses. These new comers (including ourselves) of the neighborhood are the ones who see the potential in the neighborhood and are eager to invest in it. They are out there with sleeves rolled up and pitching in to improve the neighborhood - mowing the empty lots, picking up trash and planting a community garden. They are over-represented at the community meetings and communicate with each other in the local list serve. They have become the driving force for change. I have not sensed any overt resentment and in fact, some old timers have expressed their appreciation for the changes in the neighborhood. I hope that the newcomers will conduct themselves gracefully and be considerate to the sensitivities of the old timers.

I can easily imagine how in a few years Reservoir Hill will turn the corner and become well known as a desirable place to live in. This will be followed an influx into the neighborhood and cause an increase in property values that some long time home owners will find difficult to resist. The displacement of renters will become a problem. Some call this "gentrification". The status quo is untenable but what are the other acceptable alternatives to "gentrification"?