Problems In Urban Areas Racist Strategies to keep minorities out of certain areas Racist Strategies to keep minorities out of certain areas  –Redlining = Banking –Blockbusting & Racial Steering = Real Estate brokers and agents

Redlining Banks draw red lines on maps around areas they refuse to lend $$$ toBanks draw red lines on maps around areas they refuse to lend $$$ to Fear: minorities will move into a "nice" neighborhood  property values will go downFear: minorities will move into a "nice" neighborhood  property values will go down Ghettoization resulted (Ghettoization resulted ( A process occurring in many inner cities in which they become dilapidated centers of poverty, as affluent whites move out to the suburbs and immigrants and minorities vie for scarce jobs and resources)

Description of Ghettoization and White Flight Most “1 st Grade" neighborhoods have fallen a grade or twoMost “1 st Grade" neighborhoods have fallen a grade or two Home buyers want NEW homes  migrate to newer suburbs further from CBDHome buyers want NEW homes  migrate to newer suburbs further from CBD Process repeats itself, decay in center grows even deeperProcess repeats itself, decay in center grows even deeper

Blockbusting Offering an African-American a house in a white neighborhood at low priceOffering an African-American a house in a white neighborhood at low price White owners told their neighborhood was about to "tip" – become minority- dominatedWhite owners told their neighborhood was about to "tip" – become minority- dominated Agent represents sellersAgent represents sellers Result = “White-flight” to the suburbsResult = “White-flight” to the suburbs Why?Why?

Blockbusting = Rich Agent $300,000 X.03 = $300,000 X.03 =

Racial Steering Steering prospective homebuyers to neighborhoods b/c of similar ethnicitySteering prospective homebuyers to neighborhoods b/c of similar ethnicity Sometimes good-intentionedSometimes good-intentioned Done covertly justified by showing people houses in a particular school districtDone covertly justified by showing people houses in a particular school district

Racial Steering, Blockbusting, and Redlining All Three …All Three … – Result in segregation and ghettoization – R illegal & result in criminal and civil punishments

Gentrification Middle class moves into inner city & fixes up housingMiddle class moves into inner city & fixes up housing Why?Why? –City life –Cities are heterogeneous –Cheaper houses –Unique architecture –Proximity to jobs  NO COMMUTE Attracts mostly single people, gays/lesbians, & DINKSAttracts mostly single people, gays/lesbians, & DINKS

Suburban Areas Peripheral Model –Urban area = Inner CBD Suburbs (diff. income levels) surround CBD (these suburbs turn into…??? Offices, malls, etc. mixed in to service people All tied together by “beltways” Benefits from suburban life? –Less crime –Better education –More individual space  yard, garage, large house –Less traffic Problems? –Urban sprawl –Creates segregation (Zoning laws)

Urban sprawl Metropolitan Atlanta extends west to Alabama Almost to TennesseeMetropolitan Atlanta extends west to Alabama Almost to Tennessee

Urban Styles around the World American v. European citiesAmerican v. European cities –USA rich live in suburbs –European wealthy in CBD w/ rural country homes –Poor Europeans live in “high density” suburbs near the city –Europe has high rise subsidized housing  concentrations of poor people create MAJOR problems (no-go zone in Paris) –Poor Americans live in city in low density, spread out gov. housing –Only 2% of USA in gov’t housing; 30% of Europe –USA’s subsidized housing is more dispersed, less and less funded over time

Peripheral Urban Areas Most put poor on edges of cities & rich in CBDMost put poor on edges of cities & rich in CBD Latin American = CBD w/ wheel-like spokesLatin American = CBD w/ wheel-like spokes Often a grid-like org. due to Spanish w/ central plazaOften a grid-like org. due to Spanish w/ central plaza Squatter settlements (favelas, barrio…) on cities’ edges start as illegal temporary squatters = “disamenity sectors” ( )Squatter settlements (favelas, barrio…) on cities’ edges start as illegal temporary squatters = “disamenity sectors” ( very poorest parts of cities that in extreme cases are not connected to regular city services and are controlled by gangs and drug lords.) If it was your decision: legalize/forcibly remove the squatters???If it was your decision: legalize/forcibly remove the squatters???

Latin American Cities – Griffin-Ford Model where less expensive homes and businesses seem to be in a chronic state of ongoing construction and renovation old part of city, more wealthy live here, bigger houses

Squatter Settlements (favelas, barrio…)