Blog 2

Neoliberalism has affected many New Yorkers. Throughout the different boroughs, there has been an increase in gentrification, which has led to prices escalating. As the prices increase, people begin to struggle to pay for basic necessities. This creates many burdens like displacement and homelessness. Dickinson describes gentrification and explains how “the urban center caters to middle- and upper-class professionals. This process displaced many poor people to make room for wealthier white-collar workers” (30). Further, public spaces and workplaces transform into private institutions for capital gain. Throughout time we see lower-income individuals get neglected and taken advantage of. Thus, we see gentrification prioritize the needs of wealthy individuals and expect the native residents to find their own way, ignoring the negative impact they are receiving. Consequently, we see many homeless people sleeping on the streets and subways which has become a new “normal.” Neoliberalism also increases unemployment rates, which leads to more people in poverty. In my neighborhood, there has not been a lot of change besides some increase in prices like many other neighborhoods. I would say Manhattan has the most impact. For example, my grandparents used to have an apartment in the upper west side. It was a rent-controlled apartment. My grandparents were offered money to move out so the owners could renovate it. They ended up selling the apartment for more than a million dollars. This shows how in recent times, prices continue to increase in Manhattan. As a result, people are beginning to branch out to other boroughs like Brooklyn, which makes it more expensive to live there as well. I also notice in gentrified areas, well-known shops and chains get built, resulting in fewer small businesses. All of this will continue to happen throughout all of New York until it ultimately turns into an unlivable and extremely expensive state.