>A BIG reason why the suburbs flourished is because of the
>automobile
:
I said this

>and white flight (these people didn't want to live
>near minorities and all of their associated problems). Thing
>is, these folks are not giving up their cars, and still don't
>want to live near minorities, or even *any* person from lower
>income brackets. They have no desire to move into Harlem and
>live near the longtime residents... they want them GONE. It's
>a predatory and opportunistic behaviour.
:
That depends on the individual, but still, create more places, everyone can find a spot that suits them regardless of their hangups or motives


>Gentrification wouldn't be as much of an issue if the new
>residents moved in and assimilated into the neighborhoods, but
>the reality is that --aside from the pioneering artists and
>hipsters-- they largely DON'T.
:
Yet those artists and hipsters are clumped in when ppl decry gentrifiers. But regardless, NONE of this would matter if there were enough places for everyone.


>Longtime residents are
>alienated. Attempts to remove them are increased, through
>blatant means as well as covert tactics like votiing for
>increased property taxes (or other taxes), using the police to
>bully longtime residents, etc.
:
Aka Humanity gets really ugly when demand greatly exceeds supply, and the powerful bully the weak.


>Newly-created urban spaces would be priced and litigated as to
>ensure that "undesirables" can't move in. Meanwhile, these
>displaced low-income residents face the issue of where to
>live. They have been pushed/priced out of the city, and they
>aren't welcome in the suburbs.
:
Aka Not enough good places for everyone


>Edit: One more thing: While these "gentrifiers" could instead
>be building NEW urban spaces,
:
Right. Why didn't pottery-maker Brenda just go build herself her own cool city rather than moving to one already built?

>they have historically chosen
>the exact opposite. Plans to improve mass transit regularly
>gets shelved because "what about their cars?"
:
You're lumping the people who want an urban walkable lifestyle in with the people who don't. This "they" you speak of is like an amalgamation of all the various things various white ppl do that you dislike, combined into one conveniently schitzo all-purpose strawman.

But that's OK. Because I am sitting here promoting the exact thing you're saying they should be doing. More urban places to live, fewer fights over urban places to live.