Model for “Positive Gentrification” Without Displacement
Creators: name: Ear, Belinda
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2018

description: By critically evaluating the ‘double-edged sword’ (potential positive and negative impacts) of the controversial issue of gentrification, this paper provides insight and practical guidance for other communities regarding methods and tools to creatively and collaboratively address one of the many problems that public health faces. These multifactorial adaptive issues must be addressed in order for Public Health to fulfill its mission of “assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy” and happy, its vision of “’healthy people, together in healthy communities,’ and fulfill its primary ethical mandate, that is to be personally and professionally ‘responsible’ for the health of her community.”The paper progresses as follows:First, I define the issue of positive and negative “gentrification” from a Public Health perspective, emphasizing the critical sub-issue of displacement and the inherent opportunity for both harm and health.Second, using this definition of gentrification, I outline the relevant literature- emphasizing and comparing and contrasting communities’ experiences- and provide a critical review of the implications of their findings.Third, based on the implications of gentrification on Public Health, share the conceptualization, and development of a model for addressing this wicked issue. A pilot study to determine the in-vivo, real-world application of the model in the city of Durham, NC is proposed and outlined.Finally, a brief discussion of the city-specific modifications to the processes and tools in the base model that may be necessary is discussed.The paper emphasizes relationships, politics, and leadership throughout. From inception to completion, leadership- and in particular, objective, inclusive, bridge-building and change management leadership- will be key. The proposed model for gentrification, along with how this topic is related to public health, is delineated. This model could be used in a variety of contexts and with a public health lens, could be used for improving the social determinants of health and the impact of the life course model so that equivalent opportunities are presented to community members to then make their own choices based on common community assets. This approach is guided by Public Health values and goals, the Public Health Code of Ethics, the Healthy People Year 2020 Health Objectives for the Nation, Health in all Policies, A Culture of Health, and ultimately Collective Impact and healthy communities.This paper grows the important evidence-based thought and action process around the social determinants/contributors to health and argues that the available research on gentrification justifies the addition of this topic to the constellation of “wicked” issues that require a public health systems approach for amelioration.Furthermore, a practical starting point and initial steps regarding how to address the impact of gentrification in Durham from a public health perspective are offered. This includes creating a concept of positive gentrification, detailing what leadership roles must be fulfilled in order to achieve positive gentrification, and finally recommendations for, North Carolina as a pilot initiative. Durham has recently undergone the gentrification process and has the capacity to achieve positive health outcomes. This paper is intended to provide ideal steps for any city, but particularly for Durham to consider in order to proactively and creatively address all areas of concern and take advantage of all opportunities that the gentrification process will intrinsically and inevitably present.