Born to a family of distinguished Rabbinical traditions, she believed that the purpose of sociological research was to influence government policy. She has earned attention for her coining of the term “gentrification.”

Britain
1964
The words of Ruth Glass

“One by one, many of the working class neighbourhoods of London have been invaded by the middle-classes—upper and lower. Shabby, modest mews and cottages—two rooms up and two down—have been taken over, when their leases have expired, and have become elegant, expensive residences … Once this process of ‘gentrification’ starts in a district it goes on rapidly, until all or most of the original working-class occupiers are displaced and the whole social character of the district is changed.”

United States, Britain
2013-2015
Thoughts and subsequent words from David Madden and The Humuseum Research Division

Over the last some fifty years, the definition of gentrification has been refashioned, referred to as neighborhood improvement or, simply, change. Neighborhoods always change, for a variety of reasons. Gentrification is a particular kind of change – one of the primary ways that it differs from other historic-neighborhood shifts is that it displaces current residents through economic exclusion. “Poor neighborhoods are said to need ‘regeneration’ or ‘revitalization’, as if lifelessness and torpor – as opposed to impoverishment and disempowerment – were the problem.” 1 The marketing genius of the linguistic shift from ‘gentrification’ to a neutralized ‘revitalization’ or ‘natural change’ is that it covers over the definitive characteristic of gentrification, the undertow of the poor.

Restoration or improvement of a neighborhood must be defined by its relationship to the people who make up the neighborhood, not just the buildings and land that these neighbors live in or among. As neighborhoods strive towards quality schools, parks, amenities, and other desired notions of “livability”, we must insure that certain aspects are in place, such as stabilized rent for the existing residents and that property taxes are regulated such that they do not rise beyond their owners’ income level. The fight against gentrification is not about resisting change but wanting to guide change in a way that improves living conditions for local residents. If only the buildings and land is improved, while the people of the neighborhood are pushed to the sidelines, this is gentrification. Let us not be confused or duped by the linguistic skill of developers and politicking politicians.

1 Madden, David. “Gentrification doesn’t trickle down to help everyone.” The Guardian 10 Oct 2013.