How to Revitalize a Neighborhood -- Without Gentrification | Bree Jones | TED

The housing market can be vexing: while some neighborhoods get ridiculously expensive and price out longtime residents, others have historic homes sitting vacant without demand. Equitable housing developer and TED Fellow Bree Jones shares how she found a way to revitalize neighborhoods experiencing hyper-vacancy while preventing gentrification -- supporting home buyers and transforming communities along the way.

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[markbrodeur]

Fifty years ago I decided to become an urban planner. I saw and witnessed first-hand what "Urban Renewal" did. I saw a low income, mostly Irish Catholic neighborhood vanish in a year to make way for a highway and expansion of a nearby hospital. The typical municipal disinvestment was evident. Broken would be a good word to describe the neighborhood. Contrary to popular social beliefs, people weren't kicked out of their homes. In fact, they were paid over 150% of market value. Everyone opted in. It was sad just the same.
When I saw the title of this TED Talk, I was immediately drawn to listen but failed to understand how this neighborhood revitalization was not a softer and gentler type of gentrification. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see the reinvestment here, but as with any other type of urban pioneering, someone had to accept a considerable amount of RISK. The big city investors couldn't accept that level of risk and she was laughed out of the room. So, who accepted the risk and was there some kind of subsidies, grants, fund raising involved?

[katyarnold]

This is lady is God sent to Baltimore, Maryland. She is truely needed in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. This is a wonderful story. This woman Bree Jones cares about the community and it's citizens. I am glad this black woman is stepping up to help black american citizens in Baltimore, MD who want to become homeowners and leave a legacy of generational wealth to their kids. I just wish it was more black american people like Bree Jones. May God bless!! Mrs. Jones and her non- profit organization,

[chernikovapo]

I really love this video! Bree Jones is a unique person. I appreciate such positive contribution in society, because these people make our world a little bit better. I am also interested in the urban development and urban planing as I am studying it at the university, and this video is an amazing case of how neighbors and engaged citizens adore their home and want to make changes in order to improve living conditions and the overall well-being!

[Oexd]

I don't mean this in any nefarious way but when people drive the money out of the area and make the average person not even want to enter that area doesn't it need at least help a little to try to bring money back into that area? Refurbishing a building in a poor area doesn't solve any problem other than maybe help the homeless in that area. The neighborhood is still a place people avoid if they can, all it does is make it look better on google maps street view.

[linzeeb]

Lovely to see community-based housing being taken on, rather than letting neighborhoods continue to be eroded by profit motives. Wishing Bree and others with similar efforts all the success.

[michaelmcatee]

The question is are these homes selling for more money than the program has put into them? Because if not then it’s not surprising that supply is exceeded by demand. Demand for discounted items is always high. But if they are being sold at a sustainable price and the profits from selling these homes fuels this business that would be quite the achievement.

[metapirateTV]

Amen Sister. Something great instead of doing nothing. I love this. They tried to discourage you. I'm starting an art movement in my neighborhood and I'm trying not to price out my friends.

[isaacthek]

I know the chance of the speaker seeing this is approximately zero, but having been a long time baltimore resident and an economist I've thought a lot about this specific problem and have some ideas for community development spurred from within.

[janefish]

This was incredibly inspiring! Bree Jones - you're doing inspiring work!

[ASmithee]

Creating demand for housing is easy... even in historic and depressed minority neighborhoods. Anyone who attends any city council anywhere will eventually hear local housing advocates speeches for affordable housing. The issue is the investment into the new/renovated housing has to break even, or even make a profit to be an ongoing effort. As part of outreach to existing residents to become homeowners, are the new owners (in the existing neighborhood) willing, and able, to pay off the investment?

[shezario]

would have been great to have some results to show for the talk. The concept is great, if it's viable. The problems I see are less about the demand but rather the actual cost of repair. If the overall cost for the
new owner ends up being more than rebuilding, it's not really value added.

will be watching with interest though

[biscaynebuckets]

They are doing this all over Miami. Every time I come home I see something new. Family businesses are being bought out and people and getting bribed to leave.

[GaasubaMeskhenet]

Property ownership caps.
Property hoarding should be illegal.
No more scalping housing!

[ramadaproductions]

Cool I literally search how to transform a neighborhood without gentrification and this came up. How to buy back the block investment wise and have local government play more of its supposed vital role

[cestquoiledelbor]

Gentrification is not else than culture denial.
In an age where people lose touch with their roots at the profit of technology and big institutions driving the steering wheel no wonder why culture is so shallow.
Big up to that lady that believes into human culture
In France gentrification makes things so similar and so blended under same brand icons and concept flags, soon you will be able to have the same lives/businesses/interests all across the diverse social classes within the whole occident, and this, will be a failure for diversity and culture.

[Someaddresss]

You'll help some people get into these refurbished homes, but the surrounding properties will be bought up by developers and it will be gentrified in the end. Im not in support of losing historic neighborhoods but at the same time progress means more kids and more kids will move into gentrified neighborhoods on the fringes of development because thats what people have done historically.

Unless you ban all property sales in the neighborhood you're just announcing where developers should develop next. And we havent talked about increased property taxes and actually paying for these old buildings to be brought up to modern code.

[wpyx]

Wait a minute. What has she accomplished? How many homes did she renovate? How many people did she place in the homes? How did the finance work?

[kevinursuchadisease]

Would be interested to see the numbers on deals like this. Doesn’t really seem financially feasible to me. I’d also be interested to see these neighborhoods in ten years. Interesting idea for sure.

[lenavenskaya]

The houses in the photo are in such a state that it would not be easier to demolish their remains and build new ones? Financial plan using the same. Such a deep reconstruction usually requires more time and investment than building a new one.

[meykel]

Stories like this really bring it home that counter to the overarching narrative. One can make a difference and improve the world AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. The idea that one needs to pack their bags and leave behind your family, all in search of "success" still hasn't fully been deconstructed in the American psyche. I struggle with this myself and would love to see more stories in the broader culture reflect the speakers lived experience.