Does Gentrification Play a Role in How You Invest

I attended my book club meeting yesterday and we went off on a tangent that sparked the discussion of gentrification. I considered from the perspective of what I am trying to do with respect to repositioning properties and whether I need to reconsider my motives for the greater good of my surrounding neighborhoods (the very recent and occurring resurgence of Downtown Buffalo, NY).  Are there investors with me? Should I only consider the "numbers"?  For anyone interested in this topic, a fellow book clubber assisted in this discussion with the following articles: 

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21644164-gentrification-good-poor-bring-hipsters

http://www.npr.org/2014/01/22/264528139/long-a-dirty-word-gentrification-may-be-losing-its-stigma

http://www.designadvocacy.org/dagspace/dirty-word-gentrification-actually-good-thing