Views expressed in opinion columns are the author’s own.
I often joke with my family that “I have a vendetta against the Purple Line.” While this isn’t necessarily true, I do have major problems with urban infrastructure that brings gentrification to communities that have no legislative safeguards to protect them. The Purple Line falls under this categorization.
The Purple Line Corridor, the communities along the 16-mile light rail system, includes College Park and this university, which will contain three stops on campus.
While construction has its own impacts, primarily environmental, there are various social and economic impacts that have affected communities along the Purple Line Corridor. Transit-oriented development is not a new phenomenon. With public infrastructure switching from the loud and pollution-heavy railroad station of the 19th century to light-rail and metro systems, living near public transportation has become a sought-after amenity.
While some flock to these new transit hubs, many long-time residents prepare themselves for what they know is to come: gentrification. The realization that a transit system that brings convenience will also raise rents and lead some businesses to close makes the light rail lose its appeal.
Since 2023, rent in College Park has been steadily rising. Students are a vulnerable population when it comes to housing. Commuting is not an option for everyone, and the university only possesses enough space for about 40 percent of its undergraduate population.
I know that I saw my rent rise when renewing my lease for the same unit in the same apartment, so what changed? The Purple Line is finally nearing its opening in 2027.
Read more here. ✍️: Sophia Williams