Local Writes Brownstoner About Gentrification in Bushwick: High Rents Forcing Out Families
A Brownstoner reader and longtime resident of Bushwick sent Brownstoner her thoughts about recent changes and gentrification in Bushwick: “Just a quick email to see if you can help me understand what exactly is occurring in Bushwick. I have lived in Bushwick for what seems like forever and seen the changes that have happened here….
A Brownstoner reader and longtime resident of Bushwick sent Brownstoner her thoughts about recent changes and gentrification in Bushwick:
“Just a quick email to see if you can help me understand what exactly is occurring in Bushwick. I have lived in Bushwick for what seems like forever and seen the changes that have happened here.
Yes I must agree some things are in the best interest of all who reside in this area but then again many of our longtime residents are forced to leave. Why you ask — well the rents are increasing rapidly and it is very difficult for the families to pay this.
All of the brand new apartments that are being constructed are for people with money; Bushwick was the place to go when rent was expensive in Queens, now you can’t even afford an apartment in Bushwick. Why I ask is this happening — new faces at every turn, coffee shops on almost every corner, the local bodega is no longer there as the rent has increased and they lost their lease.
It is as though we, the ones who lived here forever, born and raised, are now having to leave our beloved boro because Gentrification is in full effect and we are left on the bottom of the barrel.
My Brooklyn isn’t the Brooklyn because another townhouse just hit the market with an asking price of $40 million dollars, it is as though we the ones who lived in Bushwick where everyone knew everyone and looked out for them in the only way we knew how are gone. Everything is priced to the max and we cannot afford it anymore.
How can a middle class family afford a rent of $2,000 or even $2,500 when the family consists of three children and a single working parent, when bills need to be paid and food on the table. I find this totally out of control — no one ever wanted to live in Bushwick and now all of a sudden it’s hip to live in Brooklyn, but it is as though the yuppies, yes i said it, are taking over our beloved Brooklyn and we the ones who lived here forever are being pushed out completely because we cannot afford to live here anymore.
At the end of the day we feel as though we are being displaced and no longer have a say. Again I ask where are we going to go when we no longer can afford our rent???”
well said.
My point is that long term residents fell asleep at the wheel. Everyone in NYC has varying degrees of socioeconomic backgrounds. We need to acknowledge that gentrification didn’t happen overnight this has been going on for decades.
Jealousy is the driving subtle force in this narrative. Nobody is discussing the benefits of gentrification in our former slums and ghettos.People are complaining because rents are rising due to the fact that more professionals and businessmen are moving deeper and deeper into the hood. Creating private sectors jobs,fixing up dilapidated buildings,repairing sidewalks and increasing the quality of life of the entire neighborhood. How is that not not a positive?. We all know and understand how hard it is for people with kids to live in this city but there are 1 million rent stabilized apartments in this city.We have so many support services and non profits designed with the mission to help the less fortunate….but 1978 rents don’t exist anymore within the open market in this city. That is just a fact that we can’t deny.
As someone who recently purchased a home in Bed Stuy with my husband, I always find myself arguing both sides of the gentrification debate. Some comments about long time residents, such as “why didn’t they save enough to buy property?” are ridiculous because the truth is that’s not always impossible and if it were, some families who lack an education or the vision find the process overwhelming. We shouldn’t criticize people in that way.
I do wonder though as people see neighborhoods around them changing and rent prices rise over the past several years, why they have chosen to stay put? I understand it’s their community but nothing is going to stop gentrification and so now, after all these years, they do have to ask themselves where are we going to go? I ask myself the same thing when I hear artists mention the East Village and how it’s changed and yet some only want to live in select parts of the city while there are vibrant artist communities forming and growing all throughout the Hudson Valley, less than two hours from NYC. Why do we expect that NYC should be the same as it was years ago?
Lastly, I have to say that when gentrification is discussed the words “trust fund babies” and whatever else are thrown out and there is mention of a sense of community disappearing or being wiped clean. It’s very easy to label new comers to neighborhoods such as Bed Stuy or Bushwick or Crown Heights as “rich people” but the truth is that many people buying homes in these areas are looking for community and come from diverse backgrounds. My husband is the son of first generation immigrants and speaks two languages, I come from a family of first generation immigrants as well. We know all our neighbors and they know us and I’m sure some may be bothered by the fact we moved in and wonder what it means for their future but we did not push anyone out of their home. We were raised in very diverse, hard working families and because of that were given opportunities that allowed us to get to where we are today.
I’ve seen the argument that even though the second income may be eaten up by childcare costs, it’s actually still a good idea for career growth and future income potential for the lower paid parent (who is usually the one to stay at home) to continue to work.
Keep in mind too the people who were scraping by in the 90s with low paying entry level jobs are in their 40s now. When you’re in a crap entry level job, paying off student loans, having money to set aside for a downpayment every month is a luxury. I was busy setting aside for my rainy day fund in the 90s. Once I had that, I was able to set aside money for a downpayment — but only after my student loans were paid off. It’s almost like I was a responsible adult who understand what a hierarchy of needs was. I feel like people who make the argument that home ownership is so easy in NYC assume everyone in NYC is 40+ years old, comes from a family with $$ to help them or weren’t saddled with debt from their education. It’s like they don’t live in the real world.
He can’t possibly be serious. You can’t insist on a “luxury lifestyle” and make it impossible for the workers who make that luxury lifestyle possible to be able to live within commuting distance of those jobs. Only a total idiot thinks having school teachers commute 3-4 hours a day is sustainable. Only a fool believes it’s realistic to have the prep cooks earning $13/hour in the fancy restaurants commute 3-4 hours a day for their low paying jobs. The response will always be “they can get higher paying jobs!” which underscores a complete lack of understanding about how the “luxury” services these types enjoy operate in order to make a profit.
It’s pretty telling you think the solution is for everyone to just get rich. (Oh, wait, that’s not it. You just like to blame people with decent jobs for not being able to support themselves rather than look at the bigger issue of why the city is becoming unlivable for people with decent jobs.)
Yes, people in unhappy marriage should just stick together and make themselves and their children miserable because a single income can’t even afford a two bedroom apartment.