The environmental transition is an inevitable need to reduce our impact on the planet. But the development of green spaces and the use of energy-efficient building materials can increase the real estate value of local housing.
Environmental policy in working-class neighborhoods
Public policies of urban renewal are now obliged to establish ecological developments (buildings and/or green spaces), which corresponds to the demands of the population of cities and to legal obligations.
Policies implemented by the city, with the aim of responding to urban renewal AND to the ecological crisis often lead to gentrification, a process by which the development or redevelopment of a neighborhood occupied by low-income residents attracts a higher-class population than before. This redevelopment increases property value, which low-income residents cannot keep up with, so they are then forced to move to another working-class district, most of the time on the outskirts of the city.
A comparison of the process of green gentrification in the cities of New York and Paris can illustrate our statement.
The striking example of the high line in New York City
The High Line is a 1.45-mile raised public park that was built on a historic freight line along the West side of Manhattan. Before its redevelopment, the High Line represented New York’s industrial past, with strongly marked delinquency.
This project triggered a gentrification process that can be observed by the increase in property prices as well as new activities. In two years, $2 billion in building construction output has generated $900 million in tax revenue. In addition, the relocation of the Whitney Museum of American Art nearby has helped highlight the park’s popularity.
The High Line, although presented as a public park, favors certain users and activities. Visitors of the High Line can taste artisan food, micro-brewed beer, and browse the stalls of large-scale art dealers. The place seems to have become a “privileged” space where the new popularity of its expensive activities and shops leads to specialized attendance by upper class citizens.
While the redevelopment of an industrial vestige aimed to create a new green space with an ecological objective for the district, it has turned into a real tourist attraction. Many small businesses and low income residents have been forced to relocate due to rising land values, while even those who can afford it have started to experience the inconvenience of living or working in an area overrun by tourists.
The high line in New-York city. Source : The Guardian.
The “green district” policy of Paris
The gentrification process does not have the same history in New York and in Paris, as North American and European cities have not experienced similar socio-economic dynamics in urban areas throughout the 20th century (Clerval et Fleury, 2009). Paris has always be known as the home of the upper class. There are less golden suburbs in Paris than in North American cities and more golden downtowns. The upper class’ “coming back” process in the city center of Paris, due to an increase of house prices is less significant than in North American cites. Moreover, New York and Paris did not lead similar urban policies over the years.
Two mayors of Paris, Jean Tibéri (1995-2001) and Bertrand Delanoé (2001-2007) have developed the “green districts” policy. This policy was about road rehabilitation, the expansion of sidewalks, and the creation of social places. This has led to an enhancement of district aesthetics with “greening” processes (more trees, shared garden…). This green planning contributed to an increase of house prices, for example in La Butte aux Cailles or in the Mouffetard area (Clerval et Fleury, 2009).
In different ways in Paris and New York, green planning has played a part in the intensification of gentrification processes that seems to be triggered by the slightest urban embellishment policy. Would it be an answer to attach every urban green policy to an urban social policy?
This article was written by Morgane Castellini in collaboration with Léa Monot and Amélie Dakore, all Master’s student in the Muséum “Society & Biodiversity”specialization.
Bibliography:
Anne Clerval et Antoine Fleury, « Politiques urbaines et gentrification, une analyse critique à partir du cas de Paris », L’Espace Politique [En ligne], 8 | 2009-2, mis en ligne le 15 novembre 2009, consulté le 05 mai 2020
Jeanne Haffner “The dangers of eco-gentrification: what’s the best way to make a city greener?”, The Gardian [online], posted on May 6 2015, accessed May 5 2020.
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