--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The urban renewers had struck again…" description: "\"“The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a fortune-teller, and a bookie from the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston, moved in with sandb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/robert-b-parker-2608_evicted_the-urban-renewers-had-struck-again-they_979497.jpg" --- # The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a… ![“The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a fortune-teller, and a bookie from the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston, moved in with sandblasters and bleached oak and plant hangers, and last I looked appeared to be turning the place into a Marin County whorehouse.” quote by Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/robert-b-parker-2608_evicted_the-urban-renewers-had-struck-again-they_979497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/robert-b-parker-2608_evicted_the-urban-renewers-had-struck-again-they_979497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/robert-b-parker-2608_evicted_the-urban-renewers-had-struck-again-they_979497.jpg) > ““The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a fortune-teller, and a bookie from the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston, moved in with sandblasters and bleached oak and plant hangers, and last I looked appeared to be turning the place into a Marin County whorehouse.”” [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satirically describes gentrification turning a gritty neighborhood into a polished, commercialized space, losing its original character. **In simple terms:** Gentrification replaces authentic community with glossy development. Key Takeaway Beware of losing local identity to flashy upgrades. Themes gentrification urban change satire Mood cynical reflective Type social commentary satirical When to use this quote - neighborhood revitalization - real estate development - community activism - housing policy - urban planning Key Concepts social displacement commercialization cultural erosion Questions to Reflect On - How does gentrification affect long‑time residents? - What can preserve community spirit amid development? A Different Perspective The humor may downplay the real hardship faced by displaced residents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evicted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evicted/) ## Related quotes > [It is a special kind of homelessness to be evicted from your dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/it-is-a-special-kind-of-homelessness-to-be-evicted-from-your-dreams/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [African American women, and moms in particular, are evicted at disproportionately high rates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/african-american-women-and-moms-in-particular-are-evicted-at/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When you ask people why they were evicted, the big reason is nonpayment of rent. They can't afford to keep a roof over their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/when-you-ask-people-why-they-were-evicted-the-big-reason-is/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [This country has so much wealth and so much poverty, and that seemed wrong to me. 'Evicted' was my Ph.D. dissertation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/this-country-has-so-much-wealth-and-so-much-poverty-and-that-seemed/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [We don't think there are cases where people were evicted out of homes when they shouldn't have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-don-t-think-there-are-cases-where-people-were-evicted-out-of-homes/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ I'm a long way from being evicted \[at the age of 14\], but I'll never forget it. I'll never forget the feeling. I'll never… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-m-a-long-way-from-being-evicted-at-the-age-of-14-but-i-ll-never/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [What scared me was my mother getting evicted from my house. Seeing them repo my momma's car once. Wondering if I didn't provide for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-gotti/what-scared-me-was-my-mother-getting-evicted-from-my-house-seeing/) [Yo Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-gotti/) > [I was so gutted to be evicted from 'Big Brother,' but I do think things happen for a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hammond/i-was-so-gutted-to-be-evicted-from-big-brother-but-i-do-think-things/) [Alison Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hammond/) > [We got evicted from our house in Guildford. We were chucked out and had nowhere to go. We ended up in social housing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/we-got-evicted-from-our-house-in-guildford-we-were-chucked-out-and/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [I grew up in New York City during the Depression. My earliest recollections were of my parents talking about what they would do if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-grew-up-in-new-york-city-during-the-depression-my-earliest/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I remember getting evicted and all kinds of stuff. Police coming to get me out of my house, telling me it's time to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-remember-getting-evicted-and-all-kinds-of-stuff-police-coming-to/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [“The only place I ever felt at home was with you. There isn’t a place for me anywhere anymore… I’ve been evicted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranata-suzuki/the-only-place-i-ever-felt-at-home-was-with-you-there-isn-t-a-place/) [Ranata Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranata-suzuki/) > [During the late '20s my father left us. My mother was in a complete hole with no money, and we were evicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidal-sassoon/during-the-late-20s-my-father-left-us-my-mother-was-in-a-complete/) [Vidal Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidal-sassoon/) > [I know what it's like to be on public assistance and to be unemployed. And I know what it's like to be evicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-james/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-on-public-assistance-and-to-be-unemployed/) [Letitia James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-james/) > [I saw people get fired after their eviction. But when I found that if you get evicted, your chances of losing your job increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-saw-people-get-fired-after-their-eviction-but-when-i-found-that-if/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) ## More by Robert B. Parker > [“I always loved it when I had a story to tell her, because her attention was complete and felt like sunlight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-always-loved-it-when-i-had-a-story-to-tell-her-because-her/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [I had achieved the most important things in my life when I married Joan and had the sons. Given the choice between Joan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-had-achieved-the-most-important-things-in-my-life-when-i-married/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [Joan organizes our social life, and on weekends I follow her around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/joan-organizes-our-social-life-and-on-weekends-i-follow-her-around/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“Sandy’s face was very close to mine in the crowded room. She had a wide mouth and a lot of teeth. She had turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/sandy-s-face-was-very-close-to-mine-in-the-crowded-room-she-had-a/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“And Quirk’s a captain now,” he said. “Captain Quirk?” The motorcycle cop grinned. “Captain Quirk,” he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/and-quirk-s-a-captain-now-he-said-captain-quirk-the-motorcycle-cop/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [Both our opinions are rooted in our experience," I said. "Both of them are true, it's just that we've had different experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/both-our-opinions-are-rooted-in-our-experience-i-said-both-of-them/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“I think you’ve never quite altogether forgiven yourself for that woman in Los Angeles all that time ago.” “Candy Sloan,” I said. Susan nodded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-think-you-ve-never-quite-altogether-forgiven-yourself-for-that/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [If you want to write, write it. That's the first rule. And send it in, and send it in to someone who can publish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/if-you-want-to-write-write-it-that-s-the-first-rule-and-send-it-in/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“Susan had decided to sit by the pool at the hotel with a copy of a book by Alice Miller called The Drama of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/susan-had-decided-to-sit-by-the-pool-at-the-hotel-with-a-copy-of-a/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“called Evan Malone at the number Epstein had given me and got his wife, and made an appointment to come up to his place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/called-evan-malone-at-the-number-epstein-had-given-me-and-got-his/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [I have reached the point where I know that as long as I sit down to write, the ideas will come. What they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-have-reached-the-point-where-i-know-that-as-long-as-i-sit-down-to/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“Can you analyze our relationship in the light of Silvermanian pragmatism?” I said. “I love you because I find it compelling to be loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/can-you-analyze-our-relationship-in-the-light-of-silvermanian/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“Pearl eyed a man and woman walking by in funny hats. Her whole body stiffened with the desire to bark at them. Mine too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/pearl-eyed-a-man-and-woman-walking-by-in-funny-hats-her-whole-body/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [“I’m sleeping with a Harvard grad,” I said. “The Emory of the North,” Becker said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-m-sleeping-with-a-harvard-grad-i-said-the-emory-of-the-north-becker/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) [Explore all 151 Robert B. Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) ## More Evicted quotes > [It is a special kind of homelessness to be evicted from your dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/it-is-a-special-kind-of-homelessness-to-be-evicted-from-your-dreams/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [I know what it's like to be on public assistance and to be unemployed. And I know what it's like to be evicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-james/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-on-public-assistance-and-to-be-unemployed/) [Letitia James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-james/) > [During the late '20s my father left us. My mother was in a complete hole with no money, and we were evicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidal-sassoon/during-the-late-20s-my-father-left-us-my-mother-was-in-a-complete/) [Vidal Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidal-sassoon/) > [“The only place I ever felt at home was with you. There isn’t a place for me anywhere anymore… I’ve been evicted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranata-suzuki/the-only-place-i-ever-felt-at-home-was-with-you-there-isn-t-a-place/) [Ranata Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranata-suzuki/) > [I remember getting evicted and all kinds of stuff. Police coming to get me out of my house, telling me it's time to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-remember-getting-evicted-and-all-kinds-of-stuff-police-coming-to/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [I grew up in New York City during the Depression. My earliest recollections were of my parents talking about what they would do if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-grew-up-in-new-york-city-during-the-depression-my-earliest/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [We got evicted from our house in Guildford. We were chucked out and had nowhere to go. We ended up in social housing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/we-got-evicted-from-our-house-in-guildford-we-were-chucked-out-and/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [I was so gutted to be evicted from 'Big Brother,' but I do think things happen for a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hammond/i-was-so-gutted-to-be-evicted-from-big-brother-but-i-do-think-things/) [Alison Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hammond/) > [What scared me was my mother getting evicted from my house. Seeing them repo my momma's car once. Wondering if I didn't provide for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-gotti/what-scared-me-was-my-mother-getting-evicted-from-my-house-seeing/) [Yo Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-gotti/) > [ I'm a long way from being evicted \[at the age of 14\], but I'll never forget it. I'll never forget the feeling. I'll never… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-m-a-long-way-from-being-evicted-at-the-age-of-14-but-i-ll-never/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [We don't think there are cases where people were evicted out of homes when they shouldn't have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-don-t-think-there-are-cases-where-people-were-evicted-out-of-homes/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [This country has so much wealth and so much poverty, and that seemed wrong to me. 'Evicted' was my Ph.D. dissertation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/this-country-has-so-much-wealth-and-so-much-poverty-and-that-seemed/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When you ask people why they were evicted, the big reason is nonpayment of rent. They can't afford to keep a roof over their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/when-you-ask-people-why-they-were-evicted-the-big-reason-is/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [African American women, and moms in particular, are evicted at disproportionately high rates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/african-american-women-and-moms-in-particular-are-evicted-at/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [I saw people get fired after their eviction. But when I found that if you get evicted, your chances of losing your job increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-saw-people-get-fired-after-their-eviction-but-when-i-found-that-if/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) [Browse all 36 Evicted quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evicted/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a fortune-teller, and a bookie from the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston, moved in with sandblasters and bleached oak and plant hangers, and last I looked appeared to be turning the place into a Marin County whorehouse.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert B. 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