INDIANAPOLIS – What do Fountain Square, Downtown, Mapleton Fall Creek and Fall Creek Place have in common? Change: new trails, freshly paved roads, newly renovated homes, and new breweries and restaurants have recently popped up in these corners of the city. Neighborhoods may be wondering: How has this happened and who will reap the benefits of these amenities? Are our communities being gentrified block by block?
Gentrification is a real economic and cultural force acting on Indianapolis’ urban neighborhoods, which are predominantly low-income and many predominantly African-American. According to Indianapolis census data compiled by governing.com, the number of census tracts gentrifying quadrupled from 1990-2000 to 2000-2010 (defined by percentage increases in home value, education attainment and median income).
It can be difficult to have honest conversations about the “G word” because of how mired it is with issues of class, politics, race, and human impact. With this in mind, Spirit & Place and the Kheprw Institute are partnering to launch Gentrify: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, a series of community discussions that will explore the impact and ramifications of gentrification above and beyond displacement. The next discussion will take place June 26 from 3-5 p.m. on the topic of Defining Gentrification.
All discussion events are free and will take place at Kheprw Institute (3549 Boulevard Place). Interested attendees should RSVP in advance on kheprw.org/gentrify, updated information and resources about the series also available.