THE CHALLENGE

Many lower-income neighborhoods throughout NYC are being transformed as new businesses, projects and residents with different values and higher incomes are moving into them. The changing demographics and character in NYC neighborhoods like Crown Heights, Harlem, China Town and others have resulted in higher prices and cultural shifts, forcing many long-standing business owners and residents to have to relocate, shut down or quickly adapt as their neighborhoods are changing. How should long-standing and new businesses and residents respond to these changes in a way that is beneficial for everyone?

THE SOLUTION

Progress Playbook created a short documentary, a Healthy Response to Gentrification, to get the perspective of businesses and residents in Crown Heights, Brooklyn on how they are participating in the economic changes happening in their neighborhood, while protecting their culture and legacy in the process. We believe that long-standing businesses and residents in gentrifying neighborhoods can participate in the growth in their changing neighborhoods by starting new businesses, adapting their offerings to reflect new customers, and being the gate keepers for any new business opening their doors in their neighborhood.