Analyzing the Relationship Between Urban Greening and Gentrification: Empirical Findings from Denver, Colorado

BACKGROUND: More U.S. communities are pushing for urban greening to make cities more sustainable and better able to handle climate change. Still, there is growing worried that greening efforts can make gentrification worse and force individuals who are already at risk to move. A recent study shows that improvements to the environment and changes in the housing market in rapidly changing urban areas are connected in many ways. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to empirically look at the order and factors that affect the connection between urban greening and gentrification in Denver, Colorado. The goal is to improve fair urban sustainability policies by looking at both numerical and descriptive data about how neighborhoods change, how people in those neighborhoods feel, and how policies respond. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was used, which included longitudinal geographic analysis, fieldwork, interviews with stakeholders, surveys of the community, and analysis of policy documents. The study looks at neighborhoods in Denver that are getting a lot of new green infrastructure and are seeing changes in their populations. Difference-in-differences modeling, theme coding, and triangulation of various data sources are all parts of data analysis. RESULTS: The results show that gentrification often happens before major urban greening projects, which sets the stage for future environmental investments that make exclusion and displacement worse. Quantitative models show big increases in eviction filings and rent burden after investments in green infrastructure. Qualitative statistics, on the other hand, show that vulnerable groups are likely to be displaced and that participatory planning is lacking. 1 IMPACT STATEMENT: This study gives new real-world data about how green gentrification changes over time, showing that both market factors and government policies affect how neighborhoods change. The study shows how policies should include anti-displacement strategies in programs to improve the environment and stresses the need for urban planning that is proactive and focused on fairness. Researchers and legislators who want to create fair and long-lasting cities are given suggestions.