The Rents of Whiteness

In this Viewpoint, I develop the concept of the rents of Whiteness as a tool that urban planners can use when evaluating land use issues. The exclusionary power conferred by Whiteness has been leveraged for the economic benefit of privileged communities in myriad ways. This phenomenon can be usefully described as a form of rent-seeking: deriving profits from legal or social exclusion. Planners confront the rents of Whiteness in many forms, including neighborhood exclusion, environmental injustice, and the occupation of tribal lands. Conceptualizing these situations as racial rent-seeking clarifies how benefits captured by White communities are inexorably linked to harms done in non-White communities. I conclude with recommendations for dismantling these rents. For technocratic approaches, planners must not confuse the loss of rents with material harm. In the communicative sphere, planners must redefine communities to include those who have been historically excluded.