Concrete Jungle Analysis

When a neighborhood is gentrified it will not only change the image of it, but also the services available there (Al-Kodmany 2011, 62-63). In other words, gentrification does not only have an impact on the physical aspect of the land, but also the resources that lie there. During the 90s, the Near West Side neighborhood located near Loop, an up-scale neighborhood, sought drastic changes within the area. The changes in racial demographics in the Near West Side indicated that the health risks that affected minorities dropped in the past decade (1992-2002) (Al-Kodmany 2011,

The city’s five boroughs are located where the Hudson River runs into the Atlantic Ocean, with the island borough of Manhattan, the city’s core. New York City has a nick name; it is known as the big Apple. Surprisingly in 2013 New York’s homicide rate declined drastically , it dropped to a record low, the decline was decreased to less than one homicide daily, the ratio was per 100,000 residents and has dropped twenty percent from 2012, it was the only top-ten city to drop below the national average of 4.7 homicides. On the other hand, 2014 did not begin well, on New Year’s Day two people were murdered.New York’s Homicide rate was ten percent lower than Baltimore’s, with 154 homicide that were reported in the first six months of 2013. Their population is more than 8.3 million, with a homicide rate of 1.8 per 100,000 residents (WBAL,

The Upper East Side, zip code 10028, and East Harlem, zip code 10035 are two very different neighborhoods. Overall health varies between The Upper East Side and East Harlem because of differences in social determinants such as socioeconomic status, education, and environment. More specifically, East Harlem has the highest percentage of hospitalizations due to asthma when comparing neighborhoods in NYC.1 Using my observations from doing fieldwork, I will focus on the structural differences in The Upper East Side and East Harlem that result in differences in asthma prevalence.

Detroit, the largest city in the state of Michigan, unfortunately has been plagued with a high crime rate resulting in synonymous acts of violence, poverty, and urban decay. A multitude of factors are considered when determining accurate explanations of crime within Detroit. These factors include changes in land use, property values, transportation, and retail, as an individual moves further away from the city center. According to Robert Park and Ernest Burgess, Chicago School, a city was similar to a body and consisted of various organs. The theory attempted to analyze criminality from an ecological and social disorganization standpoint. This theory asserted that a city included distinctive concentric circles that radiated from the central business district (CBD). Supposedly, the further one moves away from the concentric zones, the fewer social problems that exist (Williams & McShane, 2009, p. 86).

How has the suburb Harvey and the residential area of Englewood changed over the course of years? Both neighborhoods and residents have faced much adversity and are struggling in many fields such as unemployment, police brutality, gun violence, schools closing, drugs, and high crime rate. Amidst one of the worst economic times in history, residents are being laid off, which interns lead to a domino effect for many. The differences (similarities) between Harvey and the residential area of Englewood are pronounced, and they deserve rigorous scrutiny.

Over the years, Bensonhurst has diversified and experienced a remarkable amount of change, especially in terms of the population. Bensonhurst’s diversity is not limited to just those particular ethnic groups mentioned above, there are also a lot of Albanians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and more.  According to the statistics of the residents in Bensonhurst & Bath Beach Puma, NY, the most common country of origins is China, Ukraine, and Italy (“BENSONHURST & BATH BEACH PUMA, NY,” n.d.). While, there is a high relative number of people born in Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. Whereas the most common race or ethnicity is white, Asian, and then Hispanic (“BENSONHURST & BATH BEACH PUMA, NY,” n.d.). This once again reinforces the idea that the authenticity of Bensonhurst is changing, considering the Italian population is no longer as prominent and predominant over other ethnic groups. New residents are replacing former residents and thus, causing a lot of diversity and modification. Currently, Bensonhurst, for the most part, is divided based on ethnicity. The 18th Avenue section is highly populated with Asians, whereas the “northern blocks, adjacent to Borough Park” are popular with Orthodox Jews (Mooney, 2011). The southern blocks, near the ocean as well as the Bath Beach part are popular with Russians. The division based on ethnic groups suggests a restrictive kind of mentality in which people would rather stick with their own ethnicity rather than engage and reside with those

Washington Heights is a unique and ever changing neighborhood at the mezzo-level, but affects the macro and micro. It located in upper Manhattan that is north of Harlem and south of Inwood. Begins on 115th street, it is typically thought to end around Hillside Avenue. This neighborhood has the Hudson River on the west and the Harlem River to the east. New York City’s Community Planning has designated Washington Heights and Inwood as Manhattan Community District 12. These two communities are similar in their ethnic populations, make up the tip of the borough of Manhattan, and are often assessed by the government as one district. The 2003 New York City Community Health Profile reported that 270,677 people living in District 12 and “one in two

Before getting into the case of Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Podair begins by discussing how the New York population became so divided in the first place. After WWII ended in 1945, the industry landscape shifted from on one that mainly relied on manufacturing to one contrived of service occupations. As a result, there was a plummet in the demand for low education labor, and a spike in the desire for workers with higher education. Resultantly, black communities were marginalized and jobless. Similarly, housing constraints and de facto segregation lead to mainly black neighborhoods, leading to neighborhoods that provided abysmal education for its local youth. A region in the Bronx that epitomized this lackluster educational system is the schooling system of Ocean Hill-Brownsville.

The racial segregation between Worcester Metropolitan area and the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan area is very similar. For both of the area, it shows that White-Black, White-Hispanic, White-Asian, Black-Asian, and Hispanic-Asian have a moderate level of segregation. Black-Hispanic have a low moderate level of segregation in both of the areas. The segregation of poverty and of affluence is greater in the Worcester Metropolitan area than it is in the Albany-Schenectady-troy, NY Metropolitan area.

One of the geographical characteristics of cities is the proportion of low-lying areas that exists. Studies have been carried out to examine residential segregation. The theory that was being studied was whether

New York City’s population is a little over 8.3 million people. 8.3 million people are spread out among five boroughs and each have their own set routine. Each one of those 8.3 million see New York in a different way becuase “You start building your private New York the first time you lay eyes on it” (“City Limits” 4). Some people are like Colson Whitehead who “was born here and thus ruined for anywhere else” (“City Limits” 3). Others may have “moved here a couple years ago for a job. Maybe [they] came here for school” (“City Limits” 3). Different reasons have brought these people together. They are grouped as New Yorkers, but many times, living in New York is their only bond. With on going changes and never ending commotion, it is hard to

According to Newman and Wyly, Rapid gentrification has put incredible burden on low-income residents. Tenants, advocates, and community leaders have stated that displacement put much strain for the low-income, working class, elderly and immigrant communities of New York city. Community leaders report that residents often double- or triple-up with family and friends, become homeless or move into the city shelter system, or move out of the city.

This project is a focus on how variables such as population, ethnicity, and income affect crime rates throughout different neighborhoods throughout a city. I feel that this information finding this information could be useful to many people. For example if you are looking to buy a new home or even start a new business, you’ll probably want it located in a safe neighborhood. This study will help identify the signs of a safe neighborhood. Knowing why crime rates are higher in some areas may also help prevent the crime rate to rise in other neighborhoods. For example, if crime rates are higher in neighborhoods with

For the purpose of this paper, the community being analyzed will involve the population that lives within the boundaries of the Nutley, New Jersey. Nutley, a township within Essex County, New Jersey, is home to a dense population of individuals within its small borders. It meets the criteria of a community due to the fact that the individuals share some mutual characteristics (Kirst-Ashman, 2011). Nutley is a residential neighborhood that consists of 11,301 households. Nutley, New Jersey is also a geographical community, where individuals share the common variable of location (Kirst-Ashman, 2011). Subsequently, Nutley contains one high school, one middle school, and five elementary schools (Nutley, New Jersey, 2016). Within the 3.428 square miles that Nutley is comprised of, there are 10 public parks where residents are welcomed to play soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and baseball among other sports.

New York City is made up of five boroughs, which include the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Within these boroughs, there are high and low-income neighborhoods that contain either high or low status organizational structures or facilities. Each division has their own characteristics and top attractions, such as the Empire State building, Central Park, or Times Square. As New York City may be known for great food and fun attractions, New York faces infrastructure problems within each borough. New York City’s infrastructure funding is limited in lower income neighborhoods, where money needed to upkeep the city goes toward prime tourist’s areas or residents living in high status neighborhoods, such as The Upper East Side of Manhattan, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, and Lenox Hill, Manhattan. Moreover, abandoned buildings, poor sewage conditions, and rocky roads and streets are examples of low-income area infrastructure problems that may hinder neighborhood growth both structurally and economically. Harlem, East Brooklyn, and South Bronx are low-income parts of New York that lack new and refined facilities, roads, plumbing, and fundamental structures, which contribute to high crime and arrests.