City Ownership

 

The commercialization of urbanity becomes a threat for citizens' welfare; which is increasingly ignored, despite being the true owner of the city. Citizens should be considered in any development or redevelopment, not displacement. Realizing that without those of low-middle and working classes; cities would die, yet most city managers play on the inevitable cords of working hands and minds. Who need the job would travel for it..!

Urban Design LabUrban Design Lab127,499 followers127,499 followers

hashtag#Gentrification by the Numbers: A Global Snapshot

Cities across the globe are transforming—but the data shows that behind the new skylines are stories of displacement and loss:

Elephant & Castle, London – The Heygate Estate once housed 3,000+ residents. After demolition, only 82 social housing units were rebuilt on the same site.
Mission District, San Francisco – From 2000–2019, the Latino population dropped by 9,000+, while median rents nearly doubled.
El Raval, Barcelona – Short-term rentals surged 500%+ in a decade, driving rents far beyond what locals could afford.
Alfama & Mouraria, Lisbon – Nearly 1 in 5 homes in the historic center now serves tourist rentals rather than residents.
Tarlabaşı, Istanbul – Urban renewal projects displaced thousands, many permanently.
Vila Autódromo, Rio – Ahead of the Olympics, 90% of residents were forced out to make way for redevelopment.
Bushwick, Brooklyn – Median rent climbed 63% since 2000, reshaping long-time working-class neighborhoods.
Qianmen, Beijing – Historic hutongs saw tens of thousands relocated as demolitions erased century-old homes.

AI-generated before-and-after images illustrate the dramatic changes these communities have experienced over time.
The question remains: If growth comes at the cost of people and culture, who is the city really for?
Numbers don’t lie. Cities are changing. But at what cost?