Abstract
Governmentally sponsored gentrification,' by way of the demolition of public housing projects leaves many of the world's poor out in the cold, with absolutely no opportunity to enjoy the purported benefits of pending development. From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Atlanta, Georgia, neighborhoods established by governments as public housing projects or abandoned as slums have been transformed into new havens for the affluent, with promises of affordable housing for those displaced ringing hollow in the background. This means that those unfortunate enough to dwell on government land are fighting a growing battle against displacement. Moreover, they are fighting to preserve the valuable social fabric of their communities.Many champions of gentrification point out that it pours important economic resources into neighborhoods in disrepair. With regard to public housing specifically, proponents of this kind of demolition exploit horrifying crime statistics and living conditions as evidence of the need for complete overhauls. Unfortunately, these narrow analyses fail to appreciate the value of preserving community identity as a tool to facilitate community improvement.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Tiffany D.
(2014)
"The Ties that Bind: Capitalizing on the Existing Social Fabric in Public Housing to Revitalize Neighborhoods and Avoid Displacement in Panama City, Panama,"
Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy: Vol. 4
:
Iss.
2
, Article 12.
Available at:
https://trace.tennessee.edu/tjlp/vol4/iss2/12