I enjoyed these observations from a local who grew up in the Western Addition, and who remembers that her neighborhood had plenty of culture prior to gentrification.
I have had awkward conversations with well-off transplants to the City, who seem blind to the fact that really interesting cities, the kind of cities you leave your home and family to live in, are generally not exclusive enclaves of wealthy people. There are plenty of wealthy towns and gated communities which have nothing of any cultural interest going for them. They do not produce "culture," though they might fund other people to create some.
The interesting places, the port cities especially, tend to be extraordinarily diverse in income, industry, ethnicity, and activity, a diversification wealthy enclaves lack. Gentrification has its posh charms and some pleasant benefits, but, when taken too far, represents a loss of the very things that make a place interesting.
#gentrification #sanfrancisco
http://gu.com/p/45zxh/sgp
