Gentrification echoes through this L.A. neighborhood

Affluent young Whites are moving in. Poor Latino families are being priced out. Today's story by the Times' Scott Gold focuses on the tension and friction triggered by gentrification in Echo Park. But it turns out that this issue is not new for this old neighborhood. Here’s a quote from Episcopalian priest Frank Kelley that appeared in a 1971 Times story (Download EP.pdf ) about Echo Park:

"You’d expect the neighborhood to be completely filled with poor people. Instead, you see sports cars parked out in front and inside you find young couples renewing those hold homes. With the development of downtown Los Angeles, with property values rising, the poor people are not going to dominate this area. Someplace else must be found for them. The housing authority must recognize their problem and do something about it."

They didn't call it "gentrification" then, but the changes and tensions sound very much the same.

-- Jesus Sanchez

Photo: Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times