Urban Challenges Lecture Notes

Historical Context of Segregation

• Jim Crow laws and slavery ended, but their impacts continue.
• De facto segregation: separation by race/ethnicity not enforced by law.
• Racial dot map: visualizes racial and ethnic distribution in the U.S.

Key Terms and Practices

• Redlining:
  • Federal maps color-coded urban areas by mortgage risk levels.
  • High-risk areas (often minority neighborhoods) denied loans.
  • Legacy: limited generational wealth, continued segregation.
• Blockbusting:
  • Real estate agents incited fear to buy properties cheaply.
  • Sold at higher prices to minorities, causing white flight.
• White flight: Migration of white residents to suburbs.

Consequences of Segregation

• Creation of urban ghettos and unequal resource distribution.
• Challenges in segregated neighborhoods:
  • Higher crime rates, fewer job opportunities.
  • Limited access to services (healthcare, education).
  • Increased pollution and environmental hazards.
  • Located near highways, factories, disposal sites.

Environmental and Social Impacts

• Vulnerable communities face environmental injustice.
• Higher pollution exposure, health issues.
• Food deserts: Scarcity of fresh food, leading to health problems.

Disamenity Zones and Challenges

• Zones of abandonment:
  • High crime, vacant buildings, lack of resources.
  • Result from lack of investment and deindustrialization.
• Informal settlements:
  • Squatter areas without legal land claim.
  • High poverty rates, informal economy reliance.

Strategies for Urban Improvement

• Revitalization programs:
  • Promote economic growth, attract residents.
  • Affordable housing, infrastructure improvements.
• Inclusionary zones/housing policies:
  • Encourage affordable housing development.
  • Reduce economic segregation, increase diversity.

Gentrification

• Displacement of original residents by affluent newcomers.
• Pros: Decreased crime, increased productivity.
• Cons: Loss of historical character, increased segregation.

Government and Urban Planning

• Federal government:
  • Doesn't directly plan cities, but influences through financial incentives.
  • Urban renewal policies (e.g., Housing Act of 1949).
• State government:
  • Directly influences city planning (e.g., Oregon's growth boundaries).
• Regional and local governments:
  • Coordinate projects, focus on transportation and economic development.

Challenges of Bureaucracy

• Multiple government levels can complicate urban planning.
• Cities may alter plans to maintain state/federal funding.