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I'm looking for unique and creative ideas that specifically attract or cater to low-income residents, but also slightly cross over to the general population. Urban gardens as an example, but more unique than that. Maybe out there is something I haven't heard of.
Specifically, I am talking about activities that people can actually do, and that work for low-income populations. For example, a certain style of yoga class that can retain very low-income working people as a base.
My urban neighborhood full of drugs and prostitution has also always been home to aging poor and lower-income white people, and about 35+- % other people of color: Carribbean, CA, Brazil, etc. But no artists, it's been too poor for that. Real estate people say that will change and maybe then the arty-types will begin to infiltrate, but that hasn't happened yet. In any case, this area gets maligned by people in the area as though it is a colony of lepers. I see how nervous people are of poverty in this country. It's so misunderstood. What it really comes down to is the crappy side walks.. Now that the city as replaced them, it's time for more progress.
Last edited by terrasurf; 12-06-2018 at 10:14 AM..
Why would anyone want to attract an inward migration of low income residents? They're a massive drain on every system. What needs to happen is for society to insist that low income people educate their children properly so the next generation isn't low income. It would require a massive revamp of public education and some pretty draconian penalties for bad parenting. If most people in a low income area have children who have 21st century job skills, it quickly stops becoming a low income area in a generation.
Why would anyone want to attract an inward migration of low income residents? They're a massive drain on every system. What needs to happen is for society to insist that low income people educate their children properly so the next generation isn't low income. It would require a massive revamp of public education and some pretty draconian penalties for bad parenting. If most people in a low income area have children who have 21st century job skills, it quickly stops becoming a low income area in a generation.
Punish people to educate their children, I'm sure that'll work fine.
The “broken window syndrome” should be avoided. Like the urban garden, anything that supports pride in the neighborhood, and creates beauty is so important. Artist murals and other types of public art would be great. Gathering places for different age groups. Anything that makes residents feel safe, like frequent police presence, would be good.
I have heard that classical music, played in public places is both calming, and repels the negative element who might otherwise hang around.
Why would anyone want to attract an inward migration of low income residents? They're a massive drain on every system. What needs to happen is for society to insist that low income people educate their children properly so the next generation isn't low income. It would require a massive revamp of public education and some pretty draconian penalties for bad parenting. If most people in a low income area have children who have 21st century job skills, it quickly stops becoming a low income area in a generation.
Yea, and if that’s not happening then perhaps it’s better to concentrate on the next generation—extended school days, school year, and school activities. It’ll take more funding, but the results may end up having far greater benefits than costs.
Yea, and if that’s not happening then perhaps it’s better to concentrate on the next generation—extended school days, school year, and school activities. It’ll take more funding, but the results may end up having far greater benefits than costs.
Thankfully that never happened when I was in school
I'm looking for unique and creative ideas that specifically attract or cater to low-income residents, but also slightly cross over to the general population. Urban gardens as an example, but more unique than that. Maybe out there is something I haven't heard of.
Specifically, I am talking about activities that people can actually do, and that work for low-income populations. For example, a certain style of yoga class that can retain very low-income working people as a base.
My urban neighborhood full of drugs and prostitution has also always been home to aging poor and lower-income white people, and about 35+- % other people of color: Carribbean, CA, Brazil, etc. But no artists, it's been too poor for that. Real estate people say that will change and maybe then the arty-types will begin to infiltrate, but that hasn't happened yet. In any case, this area gets maligned by people in the area as though it is a colony of lepers. I see how nervous people are of poverty in this country. It's so misunderstood. What it really comes down to is the crappy side walks.. Now that the city as replaced them, it's time for more progress.
It's kind of unclear what you're asking, but the obvious answer is to have activities like you suggest (yoga, etc), and have them heavily subsidized or even exclusive memberships for persons who make below a certain household income.
Why would anyone want to attract an inward migration of low income residents? They're a massive drain on every system. What needs to happen is for society to insist that low income people educate their children properly so the next generation isn't low income. It would require a massive revamp of public education and some pretty draconian penalties for bad parenting. If most people in a low income area have children who have 21st century job skills, it quickly stops becoming a low income area in a generation.
Why only sticks? What about carrots?
Someone shared a comment I posted six years ago on Facebook from some famous person saying something to the effect that there's little in this world that's more offensive than the judgements passed on the poor by the well-housed, well-clothed and well-fed.
Most poor folks aren't morally defective. And a lot of them know the deal and want the same things everyone else wants.
In my Next City story on revitalization in Germantown - the Philadelphia neighborhood I call home; it's heavily African-American and has a higher rate of poverty than the city as a whole (about 39 percent as opposed to 26 - and that latter figure is the highest among the nation's 10 largest cities) - I report on a community meeting on my side of the neighborhood (the poorer side) where a developer of affordable housing was proposing a new ownership project where low-income residents could buy a house, build equity, and even cash in on it later (subject to restrictions meant to keep the houses affordable built into the land deeds; the residents would own the houses but not the land they sat on). Another community resident who attended and who I quoted said the residents gave the project a chilly reception: "They didn't think their neighborhood would improve by bringing more poor people into it."
That may seem like a confirmation of your position, but I don't think it is, for what it sounds like you want to do is punish the poor folk who are already there. What about creating incentives for poor families to give their children better educations? What about a "children's zone" approach where they get the sorts of support and assistance (like reading to their kids, something that they may not have experienced growing up) they need to help their children learn more and better?
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