What term describes the restoration of urban areas that often displaces lower-income residents?

The term that describes the restoration of urban areas that often displaces lower-income residents is gentrification. Gentrification typically occurs when wealthier individuals move into a previously lower-income neighborhood, leading to increased property values and rents. This process can improve local infrastructure and amenities but often comes at the cost of displacing long-time residents who can no longer afford to live in the area. As neighborhoods undergo this transformation, the original cultural and social fabric may change, potentially leading to tension among different socioeconomic groups.

Suburbanization refers to the process where populations move from urban areas into suburban areas, typically in search of more space, which is different from the concept of gentrification. Urban sprawl describes the expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land, characterized by low-density development and dependence on car travel; it does not specifically focus on the displacement of residents. Urban renewal, while it involves the development of urban areas, does not inherently involve the displacement of lower-income residents like gentrification does.