Congratulations! You Gentrify: Displacing a Community

[Evan Parker]

This question is one I pose to anyone who has an opinion on the topic. 

Obviously we're all here because we like something about the idea of REI and passive income. As the process goes, we find a "good deal" in some area, maybe make an improvement or 2 to the "deal", and if all goes well, we sit back watch the fruits of our labor grow through rental income, increased property value or equity. Now, multiply this by 100... 100 of us have found 100 deals, made 100 improvements, and raised 100 property values.

Boom. We just gentrified an area. A community that used to live there can no longer afford to be where they've grown up because there were a lot of good "deals" for investors to take advantage of and help our families and bolster our investment portfolio. 

Granted, we may not have intentionally displaced a community, but collectively, we do. We just saw an opportunity and took advantage. 

The question(s) I pose: 

1. Do you think gentrification is an issue?
2. Do any of you ever struggle with the reality that we collectively price people out of their communities? 
3. Do you ever think of it that way? 
4. Do you ever feel bad about contributing to the gentrification of communities? 
5. What are the alternatives?

This is just a philosophy question and some things that I think of, not pointing fingers or trying to be accusatory, or maybe I am. Just wanting to get a conversation started!