Guide to Measuring Neighborhood Change to Understand and Prevent Displacement

Many communities want to know more about the changes that are occurring in revitalizing neighborhoods to prevent displacement and the loss of community. In combination with insights from residents’ lived experience, quantitative indicators are needed to sharpen the understanding of neighborhood trends and identify the people who may be most affected. This guide discusses how to develop an analytical approach to monitoring neighborhood change, with brief descriptions of common indicators and data sources. It offers a starting point for researchers, policymakers, and organizers to promote inclusive development strategies, prevent displacement, and ensure that longer-term residents benefit from new investment.

This publication draws from the project Turning the Corner: Monitoring Neighborhood Change to Prevent Displacement. Turning the Corner piloted a research model in five cities to monitor neighborhood change, drive informed government action, and support displacement prevention and inclusive revitalization. It was guided by the Urban Institute’s National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) and the Federal Reserve-Philanthropy Initiative, a collaboration between the Restoring Prosperity in Older Industrial Cities Working Group of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and several Federal Reserve district banks.

Other Turning the Corner publications include a project overview,  a brief on overarching lessons from the five sites and a guide on data for measuring neighborhood change. For more information, visit NNIP’s Turning the Corner project website.