By Isiah Christie
Newark has undergone a transformation to divisive reaction, for better or worse. What was once ranked as a historically dangerous residential area in the United States has witnessed significantly lower violence rates and developed into an enticing place of settlement. Governmental initiatives, especially gentrification, are largely the catalyst – and while this is a delightful change for property investors and the well-off, it does create a questionable dynamic among the city’s younger population and aspiring professionals that can’t afford what was once a cozy hometown.
“Brick City” saw an 8.1% increase in rental costs since last year, with rental properties increasing from an average $2,073 to $2,241. It is the only northeast city in the top five in this category – which also includes Cleveland, Colombia, Fort Wayne, and Milwaukee – which places the New Jersey urban powerhouse in a unique regional state. The rent hikes associated with this status have placed fear into middle-class buyers that desire proximity to New York City but cannot stomach a similarly steep asking price for residences. Pre-existing Newark citizens are not particularly enamored by this indirect displacement problem, although they can appreciate the improvement in public image the city has received in this newfound era.
“I’m not proud of this. [However], as someone who was born in this city and grew up mostly next door putting up with the stigma and negativity for well over two decades, if these rising rents lead to a … wealthier city with people willing to spend money there, then oh well”, u/Marv95 of the Newark subreddit stated. Despite the collateral negative effects of an increasingly expensive Newark, it has cemented itself as a desirable entity – something it has traditionally been the opposite of. New York City transplants have grown a fondness for the industrial hub, which features convenient transportation and prices that are still tolerable compared to that of the bustling Manhattan.
Luxury buildings have also become a major initiative of Newark’s development, particularly targeted to host said transplants that can afford their demanding price points. This has come without the correlated stability in existing apartments, which have experienced the most displacement with disgruntled tenants that are struggling to afford the city’s economic pickiness. Many of these individuals come from Jersey City, which has already undergone gentrification entirely. With Newark now reaching unsustainable levels for the working class, many of these citizens are swarming to adjacent locations with affordable pricing or dense, yet cheap, locations in Central and South New Jersey.
The long-term effects of this change to Newark are only beginning to be seen, with an increase in respect for the city but major concerns about its former population and whether they are being considered empathetically as living conditions change. Regardless, many citizens are enjoying seeing the investments put into their own city blossom into tangible betterment – and that is a personal victory that cannot be taken from them.
