Abstract for: Gentrification Dynamics: Towards a Dynamic Theory of Green Gentrification.

With growing concerns about sustainability and climate change, urban centers are faced with the challenge of investing in green infrastructure. The challenge of urban greening is further complicated by concerns about housing affordability and displacement of existing residents through the process of gentrification. In this paper, we present an explanatory system dynamics model about the process of gentrification and the accelerating influence of urban greening. The model captures investment dynamics driven by the rent-gap and green-gap theories. We also discuss policies such as rent control and social housing. Although the model is highly simplified, it is useful for exposing some of the hidden feedback loops contributing to green gentrification.