MCAT Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: Passage 15 — Flashcards

Use the following passage to answer questions:

Over the past few years, America's city centers have experienced revitalization. This has brought new life to cities and also put a premium on urban neighborhoods. Housing in such areas is scarce and often cannot grow at the rate that the population does. As an alternative, people are moving to and building homes in areas that were once considered undesirable. Gentrification often occurs in these areas, which have specific qualities that make them ideal. The biggest draw to these areas may be the availability of inexpensive housing, especially to younger generations who see older houses that haven't been maintained as 'fixer-uppers' and investment opportunities.
Gentrification occurs through gradual increase in new people to a formerly undesirable neighborhood. At first, many people are unwilling or afraid to move into an unfamiliar neighborhood across class and racial lines. However, a small number of people do, and then through word of mouth, more people are willing to move. This snowball effect leads to an accelerated growth in an area that was once stagnating.
While gentrification has benefits, it also has consequences. As more people move to the new neighborhood, housing prices can become more and more inflated, as can the prices of food, gas, and other costs of living. In addition, although gentrification may bring vitality and economy to a neighborhood that once lacked these attributes, it often displaces the existing residents.
Despite this, gentrification supporters focus on the advantages of urban and environmental sustainability of city living. Policymakers are urging populations to live in highly populated cities contained within a small radius, in which mobility practices will become more localized. Although gentrification is being promoted as a way to sustain urban areas in the future, its success may leave those native to their existing communities without one.