Introduction

Gentrification occurs when wealthier people take residency in an established neighborhood and as a result rental prices and housing value increases, and neighborhood characteristics are altered. This ultimately results in displacement of the previous residing residents of lower income and replacement with wealthier residents (PBS Premiere 2013). Of course, there are other effects such as decrease in racial diversity, increase housing values, lower crime rate, and many others.

Gentrification can also occur when new green infrastructure such as parks is developed in a neighborhood. This is referred to as green gentrification and is caused by sustainability and environmental efforts in a neighborhood. To avoid green gentrification, identifying areas where it may have occurred and use that information to influence greenspace development decisions. This can lead to a ‘green enough’ neighborhood without green gentrification occurring (Curran and Hamilton, 2012).

This study will examine possible green gentrification in Brooklyn Park, MN. The objectives of this study are to identify census block groups in Brooklyn Park with high vulnerability to gentrification, examine median housing value of block groups surrounding parks, and lastly, if any of the high vulnerable block groups are located near parks, an indication of possible green gentrification.

Study Area

Brooklyn Park is the sixth largest city in Minneapolis and is considered a suburb of the capital city, Minneapolis. Brooklyn Park is home to 80,000 people, with at least 50% considered non-white. Additionally, it occupies 26.55 square miles of land and has at least 60 parks. It is also the site of the upcoming extension of the light rail from Minneapolis.