GENTRIFICATION AND HEALTH: FRAMEWORK AND COMMUNITY TOOLS

The Center for Health Equity (CHE) is a division of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) whose mission is “to strengthen and amplify the DOHMH's work to eliminate health inequities, which are rooted in historical and contemporary injustices and discrimination, including racism.” CHE seeks to promote accountability, community power, and diversity and inclusion by focusing on racial justice, identifying key neighborhoods for investment, creating partnerships to advance social justice, and using evidence-based storytelling. CHE enlisted a Capstone team to create a framework that describes the relationship between gentrification and health, and to craft a community tool to empower residents in gentrifying communities. The team synthesized mechanisms to mitigate the negative effects of neighborhood change on health while amplifying any benefits. The final report included a comprehensive literature review, expert and stakeholder interviews, and recommendations for advancing the division's mission and contributing to evidence-based initiatives.