Rent Gap The rent gap is based on theories first published by Neil Smith in 1979. It is essentially a measure of the difference in a site's actual value and its potential value at 'best use.' When the overall rent gap in an area is determined to be great, it is suggested that the area will undergo gentrification. The method used here is not based on any current literature, as no method was found acceptable for this study. Instead, it was measured as a function of the change, frequency and location of vacant lots in the downtown eastside. Though this is not how the rent gap is expressed or defined in the literature, it is suggested here that vacant lots reflects the rent gap well, as there are few examples of a greater disparity between actual and best use than in a vacant lot. More directly, vacant lots do represent disinvestment in a site, referred to by Clark (1995) as the initial process in the rent gap theory. In this study, lot vacancy was analyzed at the lot level (figure 7.1), and then trends were shown at the block level (figure 7.2) and the sub-area level (figure 7.3). Some trends of investment (counter tot he rent gap theory) were evident at the block level. 10 blocks showed a decrease in lots vacant by 5% or greater, while only one, in the east end of Gastown, showed a decrease in lot vacancy of greater than 20%.(Figure 7.2) Conversely, trends of disinvestment (high rent gap indicated) were more common. 26 blocks showed an increase in lot vacancy of 5% or greater, with six extreme cases of 20% or greater (Figure 7.2). All of the sub-areas showed trends of disinvestment (figure 7.3). However, Oppenheimer and Thorton Park were the only extreme cases. As of February 2000, Oppenheimer has the greatest number of vacant lots (figure 7.4), while Victory Square and Thorton Park have the greatest percentage of vacant lots (figure 7.5). This analysis shows that the rent gap is greatest (or most severe) in Oppenheimer and Thorton Park. However, there are a number of problems with applying the rent gap theory to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.(See Verbatim - Rent Gap). The most important is that the it has not / does not accurately predict what is occurring in this area.