Mitchell's job often involves trying to find rental units for lower-income residents. It is becoming nearly impossible to do so on the peninsula, he said. An increasing number move to North Charleston, where rents are cheapest. City Councilman Kwadjo Campbell also disagreed that black residents are choosing to leave the city. Obviously, because the whites are coming in and trying to buy it up.
Evidence shows whites did directly displace blacks in some areas during the decade.
The city is redrawing district lines, and many predict the balance of six white and six black members is history. Whether or not the displacement largely is caused by gentrification, it's clear the city is taking the issue seriously. Riley formed a task force last year to work on the problem, and for years the city has been working to create more affordable housing. The mayor ticks off a long list of affordable housing-related projects the city or other agencies are involved in. They include the Charleston Housing Authority's work to purchase apartments throughout the city, the efforts to preserve 50 units at Shoreview and to create 50 more at a site on upper King Street, a new effort to create between 150 and 200 units for homeownership in areas near the College of Charleston's planned upper Meeting Street arena.