Glossary
Blockbusting
A predatory real estate practice where agents induce homeowners to sell their properties at low prices by creating fear about racial or ethnic changes in the neighborhood.
Example:
A real estate agent might engage in blockbusting by telling white families that Black families were moving into their neighborhood, pressuring them to sell quickly and cheaply.
Central City Revival
A resurgence in the popularity and economic vitality of a city's downtown or core area after a period of decline.
Example:
After decades of neglect, the old warehouse district underwent a central city revival, transforming into a vibrant hub of restaurants, art galleries, and loft apartments.
Counter-urbanization
The demographic and economic process of people and industries moving away from central cities to suburbs and rural areas.
Example:
With the rise of remote work, many urban dwellers engaged in counter-urbanization, seeking larger homes and more open spaces in smaller towns.
De Facto Segregation
Segregation that occurs as a result of social, economic, or cultural factors, rather than by explicit law.
Example:
Even after legal segregation ended, economic disparities and housing preferences led to de facto segregation in many neighborhoods, with certain areas remaining predominantly one racial group.
De Jure Segregation
Segregation that is enforced by law or official government policy.
Example:
Before the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow laws mandated de jure segregation in schools, public transportation, and other facilities across the American South.
Disamenity Zones
Urban areas characterized by undesirable features such as high crime rates, pollution, and extreme poverty, often lacking basic infrastructure.
Example:
The industrial wasteland near the old factory, plagued by pollution and high crime, became a notorious disamenity zone within the city.
Gentrification
The process by which a low-income neighborhood is transformed into a more affluent one, often leading to the displacement of existing residents.
Example:
In Brooklyn, the arrival of new coffee shops and boutiques signaled gentrification, causing rents to soar and forcing out long-time residents.
Master-Planned Communities
Large-scale residential developments that are comprehensively designed with a specific theme, amenities, and often strict regulations.
Example:
The new development on the city's outskirts was a master-planned community, complete with its own golf course, shopping center, and a network of walking trails.
Public Housing
Government-provided housing designed to offer safe and affordable living options for low-income individuals and families.
Example:
A city might develop a new public housing complex to address the critical shortage of affordable homes for its working-class population.
Redlining
A discriminatory practice where financial institutions deny services, such as loans or insurance, to residents of specific areas, often based on race or ethnicity.
Example:
Historically, banks would redline certain minority neighborhoods, making it impossible for residents to secure mortgages and invest in their homes.
Residential Segregation
The physical separation of different racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups within housing patterns of a city or region.
Example:
Despite legal protections, many cities still exhibit high levels of residential segregation, with distinct neighborhoods predominantly inhabited by specific demographic groups.
Squatter Settlements
Informal urban settlements, often called shantytowns, characterized by improvised housing, lack of legal land ownership, and inadequate basic services.
Example:
In many rapidly urbanizing developing countries, new migrants often end up living in squatter settlements on the city's periphery due to a lack of affordable housing.
Urbanization
The increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas, representing a significant global demographic shift.
Example:
As China industrialized, millions migrated from rural farms to cities like Shanghai, contributing to rapid urbanization.
White Flight
The large-scale migration of white people from racially or ethnically diverse urban areas to more homogenous suburban communities.
Example:
During the mid-20th century, the construction of highways facilitated white flight from inner cities to newly developed suburban tracts.