gentrification

noun

gen·​tri·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌjen-trə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

: a process in which a poor area (as of a city) experiences an influx of middle-class or wealthy people who renovate and rebuild homes and businesses and which often results in an increase in property values and the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents

a neighborhood undergoing gentrification

"This week, we're talking about gentrification. Middle-class people move in. Property values and rents rise. Things change and improve but not for everyone. …"

—Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Opposition is also stoked by fear of gentrification—displacement of longtime residents through higher rents or property taxes.

—Steven Litt

The construction of luxury housing and gentrification of neighborhoods is pushing families out of communities they have called home for years.

—Heidi Romanish and David Snyder

In an effort to keep gentrification from creeping in the same way into the 30th Ward … Jessica Gutierrez wants to keep a lid on property taxes and inform residents about affordable housing.

—Alexandra Arriaga

Examples of gentrification in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Brian wrote his dissertation about maintaining racial equity and equality in the face of gentrification. —Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025

As the community grapples with recovery, fears of gentrification loom large. —Melissa Noel, Essence, 23 Jan. 2025

From his use of folkloric bomb and plena music to a short film showing the effects of gentrification in Puerto Rico, the album highlights the island’s beauty and struggle. —Maya Brown, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025

Now, the neighborhood, one of the few affordable ones left in California, is under a threat of gentrification before the smoke has even cleared. —David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

gentry + -ification

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above