Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models

Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2016.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Royall, Emily Binet
Other Authors: Andrea Chegut.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103263
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author Royall, Emily Binet
author2 Andrea Chegut.
author_facet Andrea Chegut.
Royall, Emily Binet
author_sort Royall, Emily Binet
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description Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2016.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1032632019-04-10T14:48:54Z Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models Modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models Royall, Emily Binet Andrea Chegut. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Urban Studies and Planning. Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2016. Vita. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references. Gentrification is viewed as both as a tool and a force--as a systematized vehicle for classbased oppression and racism, and an empirical force of change based on social, environmental and economic interactions. This complexity makes it challenging for researchers to study the impact of gentrification, for planners to anticipate the effects of gentrification with planning policy, and for developers to foresee investment outcomes. Current planning policy addresses the symptoms of gentrification, without defining the underlying construct of the process. This thesis examines latent constructs of gentrification through a data-driven process that identifies emergent states of change and assigns them to a Markov process, i.e. a process that assigns probabilities to potential "state" changes over time. For census block groups in four boroughs of New York City, this model takes three steps: 1) cluster census block groups into latent states defined by ACS socioeconomic and demographic data, 2) derive a Markov model by tracking transitions between states over time, and 3) validate the model by testing predictions against historic data and qualitative documentation. Using this process I was able to find emergent typologies of urban change, locate gentrifying neighborhoods without any spatial input, and uncover sequences of patterns that reliably predict socioeconomic outcomes at the census block group level. Through the design of a machine learning framework for gentrification I reflect on the importance of using algorithms that learn rather than reproduce assumptions, value of distilling large and complex data relationships into nuanced intuitions, and challenges of embedding computational modeling in political frameworks. by Emily Binet Royall. M.C.P. 2016-06-22T17:53:46Z 2016-06-22T17:53:46Z 2016 2016 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103263 951680817 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 160 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Urban Studies and Planning.
Royall, Emily Binet
Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models
title Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models
title_full Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models
title_fullStr Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models
title_full_unstemmed Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models
title_short Towards an epidemiology of gentrification : modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k-means clustering and Markov models
title_sort towards an epidemiology of gentrification modeling urban change as a probabilistic process using k means clustering and markov models
topic Urban Studies and Planning.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103263
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