Gentrification too often dissolves into a guilt-ridden zero-sum game, whereby new residents are told that to avoid being “part of the problem”, they must simply avoid living in gentrifying areas altogether. This “vote with your wallet” approach, while important, ignores the structural and political root of the problem. It is the lack of affordable housing, tenant protections and political will that leads to the displacement of established residents, particularly communities of color.

Consider the Bay Area wave of young tech employees who have driven gentrification that pushed out tens of thousands of primarily African-American and Latino residents. Their arrival alone was not the only force at play. The Bay Area’s geography, significant political obstacles to higher density housing and a lack of investment in affordable low and moderate-income housing created a housing shortage that practically guaranteed the housing market would pit wealthier residents against poorer ones.

Facing the prospect of developing new land, which most people cannot afford to do, or being part of a housing market that is displacing people, many new renters or homebuyers end up moving into gentrifying areas anyway, but just feel guilty about it. While guilt is at least a sign that people are aware of the problem at hand, this awareness is useless unless it contributes to action to counteract the negative consequences of the housing market they’ve bought into. While new residents are unlikely to single-handedly address the housing shortage, there are many things they, and existing residents, can do to be part of the solution.

Local opposition to affordable, multifamily housing (the subject of the recent HBO mini-series Show me a hero) is a huge factor in the lack of affordable housing. Whether it’s inclusionary zoning, impact fees, or upzoning, residents who are concerned about gentrification can play a critical role in demanding that their city creates a regulatory structure that allows for long-time residents to remain in their neighborhoods.

Instead of feeling paralyzed, gentrifiers should support local tenants advocacy and homeless services organizations. Strengthening tenant protections is key to reducing vulnerability. Basic tenant ordinances such as rent control, just cause for evictions and protections against landlord harassment are crucial tools to staunching the outflow of vulnerable households. These community based non-profits are on the front lines of the gentrification crises in cities, and they help organize and apply pressure to protect the most vulnerable populations from displacement.

The preservation of existing affordable housing in changing neighborhoods is as important as protecting tenant’s rights. As amenities increase and neighborhoods become desirable, long-time residents risk being displaced just as the changes that make their communities healthier take hold. Not only should existing affordable housing be preserved, but those who want to stand in solidarity with vulnerable residents should promote efforts to remove land from the market and dedicate it permanently to affordable housing.

With federal funding for affordable housing at a plateau, cities, regions and states are relying on issuing housing bonds, developing new revenue streams, and building trust funds dedicated to affordable housing. Getting these housing finance measures passed on local and state ballots can be a challenge, however, unless a majority are willing to vote for this investment. A key factor to deliver that is organized grass-roots support for investment in new affordable housing.

Gentrification is unavoidable in certain markets, and the ideal of development without displacement has yet to be achieved at any replicable scale. But feeling guilty isn’t going to solve anything – being part of a tide of political will to push for better policies and stronger local communities just might.