Gentrification is not inevitable, reveals Sharon Cornelissen, in this surprising, close look at the Detroit neighborhood of Brightmoor and the harsh reality of depopulation and urban decline. 

In the minds of many, Detroit is undergoing a renaissance thanks to gentrifying urbanites who’ve been drawn to the city with the promise of cheap housing and thriving culture. But what happens when gentrification attempts to come to one of the most depopulated neighborhoods in the country — a place where every other property in the neighborhood was a vacant lot and every third house stood empty?

To find out, Cornelissen moved to the Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit for three years and became the owner of a $7,000 house. The Last House on the Block takes us to Brightmoor to meet Cornelissen’s fellow residents. She introduces us to the longtime residents of the neighborhood who reveal their struggles to keep a home while keeping violence, tall grass, and yes — gentrification — at bay. 

Hosted by Solid State Books, 600 H St., NE, Washington, DC. Learn more here.