ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gentrification in the United States

Okay kiddo, let's talk about gentrification. Do you know what a neighborhood is? It's a place where people live together, usually because they have something in common or because it's close to where they work or go to school.

Now, imagine that some people who have more money than others move into a neighborhood that used to be affordable for everyone. These people might start fixing up old houses, building new ones, and opening fancy shops and restaurants. This makes the neighborhood look nicer, and some people might like it more because of that.

But, because everything looks better and new, the prices of houses and apartments in the neighborhood start going up. This can make it harder for the people who already live there to keep living there, because they might not be able to afford the higher rent or mortgage.

So, gentrification is when a neighborhood goes through changes like this, where new people with more money move in, everything starts looking nicer and fancier, and the prices of things go up. Some people might like these changes, but others might not because they can't afford to stay in their homes anymore. It's a complicated issue, and people have different opinions about it.