The concept is gentrification is purely performative and ultimately self defeating. It’s primarily a way for we’ll to do liberals to feel good about themselves while perpetuating the kinds of inequities that claim to hate.

There is absolutely nothing anyone can do to stop people from living where they want. If enough people with the means want something the market will find a way to provide it. Case in point is Brooklyn or Hoboken.

Why can’t progressives just say what they want? Affordable housing! If the median household income is an area is X then the median rent in that area needs to be approximately 0.3X. Simple as that. If the private market can provide that good; they can have at it. If not let the public sector take over. A city like Newark should be issuing bonds and building a 5000 units a year to keep up with demand.

Bottom line is there is no political will to house the masses. Keeping people housing insecure is a core to social experiment we are living in. Let people get comfy in decent homes and who know what else they might demand.