Building Downtown Los Angeles: The Politics of Race and Place in Urban America

Los Angeles became a center for entertainment, consumption, and commerce for the affluent in the 1970s, leading to the displacement of low-income and working-class racial minorities. Leland Saito's book "Building Downtown Los Angeles" explores these two parallel trends through specific construction projects and the backlash they provoked, theorizing the past and present processes of racial formation and the racialization of place. He emphasizes the importance of historical events on contemporary processes of gentrification and integrates the fluidity of racial categories into his analysis.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 266 pages
Publication date: 06 July 2022
Publisher: Stanford University Press

From the 1970s onwards, Los Angeles emerged as a vibrant hub for entertainment, consumption, and commerce, attracting affluent individuals from all over the world. This transformation mirrored the urban development trend observed nationwide, with new construction leading to the displacement of low-income and working-class racial minorities. City officials, driven by the desire to promote economic growth and attract wealthy residents, targeted these neighborhoods for demolition, resulting in the eviction of many families.

In response to this displacement, a coalition of unions, community organizers, and faith-based groups formed, advocating for policy change to address the ongoing issues of racial inequality and displacement. Building Downtown Los Angeles, written by Leland Saito, delves into these two parallel trends by examining specific construction projects and the backlash they provoked. Through his analysis, Saito seeks to theorize the past and present processes of racial formation and the racialization of place, offering fresh insights into the complex relationships between race, place, and policy.

Saito emphasizes the significance of historical events in shaping contemporary processes of gentrification. He recognizes the fluidity of racial categories and integrates them into his analysis, exploring how they interact with the real estate marketplace. In this book, Saito takes readers on a journey as buyers and entrepreneurs meet, carrying with them a fraught history of exclusion and vast disparities in wealth among racial groups. He sheds light on the mechanisms that perpetuate these inequalities, highlighting the role of government policies, corporate practices, and cultural attitudes in shaping the landscape of Los Angeles and other cities.

Building Downtown Los Angeles is a valuable contribution to the study of urban development, race, and inequality. It provides a comprehensive account of the historical and contemporary forces that have shaped the city's landscape, challenging readers to think critically about the role of policy, place, and race in shaping our society. By examining the experiences of low-income and working-class racial minorities, Saito sheds light on the ongoing struggles for social justice and equity in urban areas. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of urbanization and the ongoing challenges faced by marginalized communities.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503632523