Gentrification, while holding many definitions, is commonly understood as a change process in historically low-wealth communities that results in rising real estate values coupled with shifts in the economic, social and cultural demographics and feel of the communities. This report explores the impact of gentrification on the residents, community-based organizations and CDCs of three Atlanta neighborhoods in varying stages of gentrification, and their capacity to manage this change. The selected communities are MLK Historic District, Mechanicsville, and Reynoldstown. Additionally, in order to understand factors at play in gentrified communities that have experienced a high level of success in managing change, the research was supplemented with information from two neighborhoods outside Atlanta, the Shaw community in Washington, D.C., and Jamaica Plain in Boston.

Communities that understand and respond to the threat of gentrification are better positioned to proactively address it. While much is known about tools and techniques that can be used to confront market conditions in gentrifying communities, lessons still are being learned about the social implications of gentrification. However, neighborhoods can take actions to help their residents get along, and pursue certain techniques which will build social capacity and directly deal with some of the challenges resulting from this change.