Gentrification in Silicon Valley

Gentrification is the shift in urban environments where an increase in wealth and property value weeds out crime, poverty, and the displacement of poorer people. Google bus and san francisco is involved through the use by residents commute.  Through gentrification, businesses try to raise the economy by creating work. Through work they are able to bring about a change that lower classes are often pushed away from. Because there is correlation between race and class, race becomes an undeniable factor. When people become displaced, awareness and activism becomes connected.

Google bus got involved by invading the bay area. Their bus does provide jobs for people, but they often do displace the people that live in areas where a bus stop was built.  According to Salon rent near the Google bus stops are rising. This is causing the gentrification. It’s pushing people out of their homes due to the rise in living costs. 

Furthermore, buses get away with breaking public street laws and codes. They are specifically targeting the latin community creating public discord and racial issues. They are making sure that the latin community has their fare tickets and when they aren’t officials are brought into the mix resulting in deportation of some. Legal or not they have families here in the United States.

Google doesn’t stop with buses, however. They are expanding their businesses to urban places where “there workers would rather work.” This creates even high living rates and pushes out the lower class of people. 

in my opinion if there wasn’t a problem, there wouldn’t be concern for peoples’ lifestyles. there wouldn’t be any awareness. i wouldn’t have to hear about it. it’s definitely good news for people who love bad news. 

what bothers me the most about the Google bus fiasco is that they are able to escape legal misconduct due to having the power. They have the power of corporate wealth and further concludes that wealth influences government. Corporate entities should have no power in government the same way religion should have no power in court.

All in all, I feel that gentrification is inevitable. People place too high of a value of their gadgets and tools to want nothing to do with them. The next great big thing might be made here or there, but it doesn’t have to force people out of their homes. It’s frustrating to me to think about the luxuries I have now compared to someone who has less. It’s something I can share, but not something I can yet change.