How To Be A Less Annoying Bay Area Gentrifier

Gentrification is inherently a touchy subject in the Bay Area. Everyone calls everyone else a gentrifier all the time. Most people don’t actually know what gentrification is. So, first, let’s define it. 

Gentrification: a process in which a poor area experiences an influx of middle-class or wealthy people who renovate and rebuild homes and businesses and which often results in an increase in property values and the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents. 

My first recommendation to people with money is to not move into a poor area. The reason why I say this isn’t because rich people suck, but because if enough rich people move into a poor area, all it does is create tension and displacement. 

But if you do find yourself moving to a poor or working class neighborhood here are tips on how to not be annoying.

Don’t complain. 

I hate when people with money move into a lower income area and complain that the residents don’t behave similarly to those in higher income areas. You see this most glaringly in places like the Mission District and West Oakland. If you live in the hood, expect to witness hood shit. I live on a street in East Oakland that has a ton of illegal dumping. I mean a lot. I don’t complain. I just marvel at how much shit they’ve managed to dump in front of my house. “Is that ceiling fan next to a dirty diaper next to a Sunday edition of the San Francisco Chronicle from 1986? Wow, what a day!” 

I’m not kidding. 

Here’s me and the ceiling fan:

Don’t snitch: 

Sometimes you’re going to see illegal activity and your job is to not be annoying. Sometimes you’re going to see people selling stolen shit. I promise you, a street merchant selling toothpaste at 24th and Mission BART is not the end of the world and you’re going to survive. Don’t call the police or file a report online. Everyone knows that people are selling stolen shit. No one cares. I got a leather jacket for $20 from a dude at Lake Merritt. We even went to the ATM together. I got a jacket and an adventure. This didn’t ruin my day. It enhanced it. I then went to a poetry reading in the Mission and Paolo, who is also an editor here said “sharp jacket.” Great day. The last thing you want to do is call the cops for no reason and end up like BBQ Becky.

Know your history:

Did you know the Mission District has had an active gang conflict going on since the ‘80s? Did you know that? It’s not a good thing, and many people have lost their lives and family members to it and it’s incredibly sad. But if you move there, you need to be aware of this. When people who live in Mission or places like it hear about a gang incident or gun violence and go “I’m shocked,” it makes them look stupid and out of touch with the concerns of their neighbors. Also, this is America. Are you actually shocked about gun violence? Like, really? 

Embrace local businesses without being annoying:

The neighborhood you live in likely has businesses. Shop at them, but don’t go on social media to brag about how great they are. The reason why you don’t want to do that is it could raise prices, and this could affect the ability of locals to continue shopping there. Don’t price people out of their grocery stores, restaurants or bars. Support by spending money, but keep your mouth shut. 

Understand you have nothing to be afraid of:

Crimes will likely happen near you, but generally speaking, if you’re uninvolved in street activity, your chances of being directly affected are pretty low. Your neighbors likely aren’t involved either. Did you know that even in the most crime-filled areas, a very small percentage of the neighborhood are involved in crime? For example: in Richmond, California, they found came to the conclusion that just 17 people in a city of 100k were likely responsible for 70% of the homicides. So, even in the roughest of the rough, at least 99% of the people near you are good, honest people. Treat them like it. Don’t be weird. 

That’s it. Apply these rules and your rent will stay low enough that people won’t hate you. I’ve talked to countless people in poor neighborhoods because… well, I was poor. Apparently I still am, but I don’t feel poor because I can afford my rent. Most of the people I’ve spoken to are annoyed because people come into poor neighborhoods or minority-majority communities and act as if they’re disappointed in local residents for not being up to their standards. The problem is, you moved to THEIR community. That’s essentially what the colonizer mentality is. Dannette Lambert wrote a pretty good article for the Guardian about this very topic. 

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