As a class, we were able to explore the city of Austin and see different areas where gentrification was present. The most prominent area to me was the area in which I am studying in this class, the Holly Street community. In this community there is a wide range of property values, as different builders are attempting to invade and redesign the area.
This leads to an important point about developers: Are they necessary and just in working with community as it is? In the Holly Street community, it seems as though developers are working against the original inhabitants of this area and are working towards essentially kicking them out of their home. I feel as though the developers should be working with property owners to mirror the community as it is, so that property owners can remain in their homes.
This community is one in which takes much pride in itself and we are beginning to apart that pride. Developers need to make the community affordable and not just work towards re-development and forcing people who have lived in the Holly Street community for many years to relocate. We need to take action and be the voice for the residents of this area, for we want to preserve their sense of home.
I really wish I would've been able to experience and see for myself the different communities and how far the gentrification is for each. Did you guys figure out or happen to know why there are people interested in the properties in Holly Street? I know for Marlo Heights that people are interested in their property due to the new construction of the Mueller HEB and the new fancy looking neighborhoods. The fear that we have for Marlo Heights is that that new development will want to continue broadening that development into the neighborhood, which is why the neighborhood is looking into inviting the companies that they're interested in having nearby to control the gentrification in that way. What is the case for Holly Street?
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