Jamaica Queens bucking the gentrification trend

Jamaica Queens
When it comes to the facts, figures and details of New York City, there is a lot to see and fathom. This is especially true when it comes to social and economic issues like gentrification, transportation and urban development. When the realities, statistics and details of these items are the focus, the assessments and perceived outcomes are often negative. For example, there are many areas of New York City that are being rehabilitated and revitalized. However, this restoration is often accompanied by an influx of white people, an outflux of minorities and the latter of those two is often caused by widespread gentrification and other rises in the cost of living. While Jamaica Queens could be in such a situation in the coming the years, they are currently bucking that trend.
Analysis
As noted in the introduction, Jamaica Queens is currently getting the best of both worlds when it comes to livability and improvement. It has become bustling and revitalized transportation hub and place to live. However, it is existing in this manner without the existing people in the area being priced out of the same due to gentrification and cost of living spikes. Indeed, many assess the cost of living in Jamaica Queens to be anywhere from five to ten years behind what is seen in terms of “present day” values in other parts of town. This stands in contrast to Manhattan and other parts of New York City where cost of living in general and housing prices specifically are rising at stratospheric rates. As of late 2016, the average price per square foot in Jamaica Queens was a reasonable $317 per square foot. Compared to the aforementioned Manhattan, that is very reasonable. That rate even compares favorably to many good areas of Brooklyn. A quick review of the Jamaica Queens area shows that the most expensive property in terms of square foot was a little over $517 per square foot. This highest Jamaica Queens price is lower than anything in Brooklyn, which bottoms out in the $630 per square foot range (Rosner).
One major plus for Jamaica Queens is that it is diverse. The area is full of a wide array of races and ethnicities. These include African-Americans, Latinos from all over Latin America, Ethiopians, Sri Lankans, Africans, Asians and Filipinos. Another huge asset that the area has is that it is quite easy to get around in terms of public transportation. There is a litany of buses and trains that can get someone from point to point. There is also easy access to get to JFK Airport. Further, the government is investing a vast amount of money in the area. Indeed, Governor Cuomo has earmarked roughly $10 million that is going straight to the locally owned businesses and people rather than getting gobbled up by corporate interests that are not anchored to the area. There are groups and people that are extremely concerned about gentrification, despite the best efforts up to this point and the current lack of it in the Jamaica Queens area. However, things could always change. Finally, Jamaica Queens is a great area because it is full of culture. Of course, a lot of this is due to the eclectic and disparate mix of races and ethnicities, as described before (Rosner). As far back as December of 2015, The Gothamist labeled Jamaica Queens as the hottest area in New York. That sort of talk and banter is going to bring more and more people to the area. That will inevitably and inexorably change the area, and in more than one way.
Conclusion
It stands to reason that Jamaica Queens will face some sort of issue with gentrification and the like as they continue to grow and develop. The more vibrant and attractive an area becomes in general, the more demand that tends to come with that. That demand, all else equal, will tend to push prices upward. However, Jamaica Queens has mostly avoided that thus far and there are many people that aim to keep it that way. As with most things, only time will tell.
Works Cited
Fishbein, Rebecca. "The Next Hottest Neighborhood In NYC Is... Jamaica, Queens?." Gothamist. N.p., 2015. Web. 2 Nov. 2017.
Rosner, Leah. "5 Reasons To Consider Buying In Jamaica, Queens (Hint: Price Is A MAJOR One)." Brick Underground. N.p., 2016. Web. 2 Nov. 2017.