Richard Florida: Why gayborhoods matter

Not since the heyday of Palmer Park in the 1970s and 1980s has Detroit had its own gayborhood. We've long believed in the economic and cultural benefits of such 'hoods. So does Richard Florida, in this excerpt from Atlantic Cities:

Economists have long speculated about the effects of gayborhoods on everything from diversity to gentrification to housing prices. One common theme of this analysis is that neighborhoods with a higher than average density of gay residents are by definition more diverse and open-minded, with a wider range of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups as well. Another common argument is that gays often pioneer the revitalization of disadvantaged, crime-filled urban neighborhoods – and their presence can be seen as an early marker of gentrification and a precursor to a jump in housing prices.

Did he just say gentrification? Why yes, yes he did.

Read more here.