How to Revitalize a Neighborhood -- Without Gentrification | Bree Jones | TED

Systemic disinvestment and racist housing policies like redlining have historically trapped Black neighborhoods in a cycle of hyper-vacancy or predatory gentrification. In Baltimore’s "Black Butterfly," the market is fundamentally broken, with home repair costs often exceeding market valuations. Bree Jones, a former Wall Street professional turned housing advocate, challenges the traditional development model by utilizing social capital to revitalize these areas without displacing legacy residents. Through her nonprofit, Parity, she creates upfront demand for homeownership by tapping into existing social networks and intentional communities. This approach proves that high demand exists for affordable housing in historically marginalized neighborhoods, despite skepticism from institutional investors. By combining the renovation of abandoned buildings with deep social bonding and wealth-transfer support for existing residents, this model heals the social fabric while rebuilding the physical environment, demonstrating that development without displacement is a viable reality.