Coming Fights
euthanasia
death penalty
sex and the politician
media violence
censorship
gun law

Gentrification: Destruction or creation of a neighborhood?

This Fight was the most energetic I've seen at a Fight Club, and was clearly the loudest to date! Gentrification proved to be a subject that the audience felt extremely passionate about, and the comments by the Fighters caused many instant and passionate responses from the audience. What a tough fight!

The opposing Fighters were the courageous Randall Lehner from the 'Uptown Neighborhood Council' (UNC) and the winning Fighter Rian Wanstreet from the 'Organization of the North East' (ONE), they have crossed swords before in debates in the gentrification battlefront; the 'Uptown' neighborhood of Chicago.

Thank you all those who donated to the Red Cross Katrina funds. Together with the $5 entry fee we were able to donate over $700 for the Red Cross Katrina fund

For further reference here are some links about gentrification:

"Change is constant in modern city life. So what do we mean by "gentrification?" How does it happen? Who wins and who loses? What comes next? Writer and urbanist Benjamin Grant explains.":
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/special_gentrification.html

Here is a very in-depth blog post on the subject called "Gentrification: Good or Evil?", exploring the history and explaining its current attributes. The replies are equally informative: http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/001671.html

If Gentrification is the cure, then 'Displacement' is the side effect.
This article describes "How three families are dealing with displacement":
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/02-02/0202displacement.htm

"I used to be so proud to live in my old neighborhood
It never crossed my mind those days wouldn't last for good
But now I realize that nothing stays the same."
..quotes this site from some 90's pop lyrics, and continues with a very detailed explanation into the system and community affects of Gentrification, and explains Neil Smith's 'Rent Gap theory (which is cited in many other sites):
http://members.lycos.co.uk/gentrification/whatisgent.html

A Bibliography of Chicago Gentrification (with some online links too): http://www.gapersblock.com/airbags/archives/a_bibliography_of_chicago_gentrification/

"[This] paper outlines the complex ways that current and 'original' residents view gentrification -and clarifies that longtime neighbors can take very different positions on the gentrification issue": http://www.brook.edu/es/urban/gentrification/gentrificationexsum.htm

This fascinating (52 page) PDF document shows maps, chart sand interesting statistical data about the gentrification of Chicago's West Town area ( it also defines the area known as 'Buck Town' as being part of West Town, and was originally known as Humbolt Park! http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/voorheesctr/Gentrification.pdf

"For 25 years, the Chicago Rehab Network (CRN) has worked to further the development and preservation of safe affordable housing in Chicago":
http://www.chicagorehab.org/