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It's no secret that gentrification is one of Portland's fastest-growing issues. Gentrification is a simple process. The wealthy buy low-cost houses, fix them up, then sell them for an increased price. As the home prices increase, many of the original residents can no longer afford to stay in the neighborhood and are forced to leave. Those who are “priced out” are often minorities.
The effects of gentrification are easy to see. Look for modern houses and trendy new businesses.
Portland is known as one of the least diverse major cities in the country, but the overall diversity has been increasing. The minority population rose six percent in a four year span. But in St Johns, the practice of gentrification has been forcing minorities to move, therefore decreasing diversity by four percent in that same four year span. It's a subtle yet steady change.
The average home cost in St. Johns is $500,000, up nearly $75,000 from earlier this year. Meanwhile, the area's median household income is $77,000. How can someone who makes less than six figures a year afford a half-million dollar house?
Of course, there's always the option of renting. Nearly half of all St. Johns residents are renters. But as housing prices increase, rent prices increase as well. The majority of St Johns renters are “rent-burdened”, meaning that they spend more than a third of their incomes on housing.
People who have lived in St. Johns their entire lives are being forced to move. Some have nowhere to go.
Gentrification and the ever-rising home costs aren't just issues for adults. As families are being priced out, some students have to commute from other parts of Portland in order to continue going to school with the people they’ve grown up with. Additionally, the Oregon school membership report found that diversity at Roosevelt High School has decreased five percent since 2015.
What happens as Roosevelt’s iconic diversity disappears? What happens with the student unions, Unity Fest, and the inclusivity? The future of St. Johns and the future of Roosevelt are linked. As one gentrifies, so does the other.
By Camille Muñoz
Roosevelt High School
Published October 13, 2022
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