Stuck in Place - Part II

It is indeed an appropriate title for what many disadvantaged families face - being stuck in one place that is anything but a desireable place in which to live, raise ones family and send them off to school.  Until recently I had no real clue as to how these areas came into existence. 

Sadly, since WW II formal laws, regulations and various zoning prohibitions, conducted at multiple levels of government had much to do with creating residential areas in which social and economic problems grew.

Urban renewal, for one, was a real misnomer.  Though areas of blight were wiped out in favor of factories or other development, the displaced residents were often relocated to even less desireable locations in various inner cities.  Urban renewal sounds like housing conditions were improved but, in fact, urban renewal simply added to the woes of the families in these 'renewal' areas.

Others forms of creating depressed areas within sections of the inner city included 'Neighborhood Improvement Assns.',  'Neighborhood Stability Loans', 'redlining' and restrictive covenants.  These were but a few of the gambits used to create miserable neighborhoods.  All had the impact of creating and re-inforcing housing segregation.

I mention these facts because many of the children we work with are the product of this depressed housing and community conditions that have helped to spawn crime, homeless and unemployment.  A sad thing, to be stuck in such a place.

Dick