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Gentrification in Takoma Park widens the gap |
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By Nicholas Ruggia
TUEsday, April 17, 2007
Takoma Park, Md., is a city undergoing rapid changes in economic and social makeup. The city is diverse in every way, from education, to class status, race and nationality of origin, making Takoma Park a true melting pot.
“There are a lot of neighborhoods (in Takoma Park) that are extraordinarily diverse,” said Takoma Park Senior Planner Ilona Blanchard.
Facing a national trend, focused near urban metropolises like Washington, of increased rent prices and increasing economic and housing disparity between classes, Takoma Park’s rent-stabilized apartments are being challenged by an influx of young, commuting money.
“The majority of our residents are tenants,” Blanchard said. “We’re losing a lot of rental housing.”
Indeed, nearly 55% of Takoma Park’s occupied homes were rented in the year 2000, according to Takoma Park census numbers from that year, the most recent from the city.
But the influx of young professionals is challenging the ability of lower class Takoma Park residents to move into homes of their own.
“I think the main change is…it’s less likely (for lower class citizens) to move into a single family house,” Blanchard said.
One phenomenon occurring because of the rise in property values is that young Takoma Park natives cannot afford to move into homes in their hometown, and have to look elsewhere for a place to live, Blanchard said.
One risk to the community is the loss of the economic diversity that is part of the town’s identity.
As of 2000, 10.3 per cent of Takoma Park lived below the poverty line, compared to a 12.4 per cent national average at the time. Those numbers could see a change with the increased prices in the town.
Besides accessibility to Washington and an open-minded and active community, another pair of draws for successful young businesspeople are the strong education system and the firm intellectual backbone of the city.
The quality of Takoma Park’s schools has been drawing new families into the city, as a result more young children now live in Takoma Park than teenagers, Blanchard said.
Takoma Park prides itself on it’s educated populace, and while the city is one per cent below the national average for high school graduation, 86 per cent, it’s 49.6 per cent of citizens with a bachelor’s degree or more greatly exceeds the national average of 28 per cent.
“We have a very educated community,” Blanchard said. “Our educational attainment is overall…higher than the nation.”
The education level of Takoma Parkers is in line with numbers in the District, creating an easy transition into life in the suburbs for these professionals.
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