Moving a discussion...
This discussion is from a thread discussing the impact of BRAC and Kia plant on the metro Columbus area. But a discussion evolved into something else. This thread is opened to discuss these issues: how communities deal with socio-economic issues; how communities are or aren't providing jobs for its youth; if or how race is an issue and how it's dealt with in various communities. What are some formulas that have worked.
First, one correction. Camilla apartments are privately owned, they're not public housing. Regarding that MH park, if you go online to
Columbus Consolidated Government - Public Access GIS Portal you can look at the property where the park was, and at comparable properties in the area and see that the taxes weren't raised at any more rate for that property than any other. The park had a crooked owner who took peoples lot rental and water payments and didn't pay his bills. Unfortunate for the residents, yes. A government conspiracy, no.
You know, sometimes we talk about how this or that property isn't 'nice'. True, Camilla's not what you would consider a Class A apartment community, but it's not a slum either. They are old, but have been kept up o.k. My point about Camilla and even MH parks that most of us wouldn't live in is, these kinds of properties provide a place for people to live who wouldn't otherwise have shelter, other words, be homeless. True, a small percentage are run by slum lords who take advantage of those residents predicament. But most are doing as little as possible to keep costs down while still keeping the property livable so there is affordable private sector housing.
For the record... I worked in Columbus Government for a few years myself. I worked during the time the new parks and park upgrades were going in. I've volunteered with the Episcopal church here to work with needy children in arts summer camps. I don't know if they came from south Columbus, north Columbus or even Phenix City. I only new they were poor. I've volunteered in sports and other organizations like Special Olympics, the botanical garden, and a couple of other small orgs. Today, I volunteer for a non-profit that does work to provide the basics for community development, understanding of what's sustainable, etc. So while I appreciate your perspective, mine might be a little more intimate.
My parents, when they moved to Columbus during the depression, lived in Baker Village apartments for a while. I have cousins who went to Baker High School. It was a 'county' school before the school districts consolidated. I went to Jordan. That high school had to get special permission from the family who donated the land to allow black kids to attend after integration because it had been in the deed to prohibit such. My father, who didn't attend church himself, donated new windows to a predominately black church in South Columbus near downtown. My family is not wealthy. Columbus is generally not wealthy.
One note on public housing. I remember seeing residents on the news being interviewed when Peabody was scheduled to be torn down and I was, I don't even know what the word is... maybe dismayed that a couple of the residents spoke of the apartment unit as a legacy. That their mother lived there and they'd hoped to keep that same unit after their mother died and raise their kids in it. I wondered then and now how pervasive that is. I mean, public housing was and should be meant to be temporary housing for all except the most permanently needy. Not for otherwise apparently able-bodied and minded persons to 'leave' to their kids.
I understand people on this forum (like Terrance) who've left town to find careers. I did initially too. Columbus, like many secondary and tertiary cities, struggles to provide careers to its educated children. Most, unfortunately have to leave. I criticize the Chamber and leadership for not doing enough IMO to stem that tide. Of course alternately, I meet new people every day who moved here from Louisiana, Texas, Atlanta, Macon, Marianna, etc. Who knows what all the stories are that move people. Sometimes pastures just always look greener. Sometimes they are, sometimes... well you get the idea.
So keep in mind, local kids aren't just competing with other local kids for jobs, their competing with kids from everywhere who're just trying to improve their station.
Columbus has a racial issue. America has a racial issue. We tried PCness. I personally don't think that works as a solution. I believe in being considerate, and PC works for that, but talking issue out and agreeing or disagreeing and sometimes agreeing to disagree. Just FYI, I fall in the Bill Cosby camp, not the Al Sharpton camp. I believe Government has a place to maintain law and order and even to assist the very neediest. I believe people have a responsibility help themselves as much as possible. Some areas of south Columbus have done just that. Some courageous citizens have taken to the streets to report drug use and trading and even stand on corners and in alleys where dealers normally hanged(?) (hung?) out? Those groups get a lot of help from local police and it's working. On the other hand, you have places like Rigdon Park that is constantly being vandalized. Now, how can the P&R department constantly justify spending money in that park to repair and repaint? That has nothing to do with socio-economic status. That's just criminal. It's not stealing because your hungry.
Regarding parks, South Columbus got redeveloped first. The Riverwalk, that starts in downtown, goes through south Columbus. Sports have been shown in study after study to keep kids out of trouble. But there are elements in south Columbus who it seems wants to keep the whole area down or just doesn't care. But if residents of south Columbus want more retail and more opportunities, the whole area will have to take its neighborhoods back. As mentioned earlier, some have started that and it's shown to work, but all have to do it.
I've written a lot about Columbus. But most metros have similar issues, so feel free to chime in. Try to be tolerant of different perspectives and leave the broad, sweeping statements at the door. Try to use specific examples, give credit where it's due.
Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Socio-ecnomics and race relations in Georgia towns
Linear Mode
