CMV: I was wrong to judge my neighbors for resisting gentrification.

I live in a large, developed city in the southern United States. The city has been growing, and new developments are moving in each day. <br><br>My neighbors and I live in a community of 3 bedroom/2.5 bathroom townhouses. As far as I know, none of us are owners, only renters. It’s a ‘lower-middle-class’ community. Most of the residents here are black and Hispanic. There is a large ratio of families to single people. My next-door neighbor has five kids, and another neighbor has four kids. <br><br>The townhouse community is right next to a large shopping center. Inside the shopping center is a grocery store, a gas station, a liquor store, etc. The community is a 10-minute drive away from a large strip mall. <br><br>In my opinion, the community is a bit run down. There is one building that is completely abandoned. The community is a great place to live, but it’s not the best. <br><br>I’m 23 years old and I have lived here since July. <br><br>On January 23rd, 2024, a large box arrived at my house. I opened it, and there were lots of letters from the landlord company that owns the community. ‘It has come to our attention that gentrification is a widespread concern for the community. You, and the rest of the residents of [Community] have the right to protect your way of life, and it is our duty to protect you. We have decided to enact a policy that will prevent gentrification of the community. We will not renew the leases of current residents that are not from [City]. We will not approve any applications of people who are not from [City].’ <br><br>I was absolutely pissed off when I saw this. <br><br>I’m not from [City]. I’m from a suburb of the city. I don’t have any current plans to move anywhere, but I don’t want to be forced out. I’m worried that they’ll find out I’m not from [City]. <br><br>I’m not the only person who is upset. One of my neighbors is from a different part of the state. Another neighbor lives here but is originally from a different state. <br><br>I confronted my landlord and expressed my concerns. ‘Sir, I’m not from [City], I’m from [suburb]. Does this mean you won’t renew my lease and I have to find a new place to live?’<br><br>My landlord was very kind and reassuring. ‘Don’t worry, we’re not going to kick you out. We’ll renew your lease, and you can stay as long as you pay rent. This only applies to future renters.’ He also said that the ‘not from [City]’ rule is more of a soft rule than a strict policy. <br><br>I was skeptical of my landlord at first, but after he assured me I could stay, I’m not as mad at the policy as I was. <br><br>Looking back, I realize I was selfish. I was pissed off at the policy because I was afraid of being forced out. I wasn’t looking out for my neighbors. Most of my neighbors have lived here for a long time. I was mad that the policy would affect me, and I didn’t care that it protected my neighbors. <br><br>I realize now that the policy is a good thing. My neighbors have lived here for a long time. They have built lives here. Their kids are enrolled in the local schools. It’s not fair to them if they’re forced out because they can no longer afford to live here. As much as I would like to stay in [City] my whole life, the reality is that it might not be possible. If prices keep rising, I may have to leave [City]. It’s better for me to leave [City] than for my neighbors to have to leave. <br><br>I think the policy is a great thing for the community. It protects the residents, and everyone who lives here will continue to live here as long as they pay rent. <br><br>CMV: I was wrong to judge my neighbors for resisting gentrification.<br><br>EDIT: I feel a bit overwhelmed with all the comments. I’m going to go to bed and respond to them in the morning.