NEIGHBORHOOD DETERIORATION
Causes and Solutions
(A paper by Ben Ciriacks - July 1989)

When fighting a fire, it helps to know that removing one of the three elements sustaining it (fuel, heat or oxygen) will also extinguish it.  Though the elements promoting the decline of neighborhoods are not as exclusive as those in a fire, being aware of them is a prerequisite to attacking the problem.  In summary, this paper explains how an abnormally high population of unsupervised children, escalating scofflaw activity and inadequate intervention are combining to destroy some neighborhoods.  It also indicates some of the ways racism, ageism, increased social mobility and passivity increase the velocity at which such destruction occurs.  (As with our Declaration of Independence, most of the 'truths expressed herein' are self-evident to anyone studiously observing declining neighborhoods.)
 

DYSFUNCTIONAL COMMUNITIES:  Anomie, the noticeable absence of social norms and values is the outward manifestation of neighborhoods which have reached the turning point from the decline of acceptable, to the ascendancy of unacceptable and most often illegal social values.  Streets and alleys do not become unsafe overnight.  They become so gradually, in the presence of residents who don't speak out or who are replaced by newcomers unaware of the long term effects of steadily escalating scofflaw activity.  Concerned residents become overwhelmed by the scope of the problem and feel impotent when unable to obtain adequate support from local governments and other outside interveners.

The most obvious scofflaw actions are:

drugs; underage alcohol consumption; littering; zoning & building code violations; alley, lawn, sidewalk & street maintenance; one-way street and odd/even side parking restrictions; fire hydrant openings; excessive noise and coasting through rather than stopping at stop signs.

drugs, trespass, truancy, running, jumping, pulling, pushing and otherwise handling everything with which one comes into contact, especially that not belonging to oneself or one's family.

drugs, vandalism, burglary, extortion, assault, robbery and murder.

Regardless of the reasons, it is specifically the absence of communication, either verbal or role modeling, among older and newer neighbors which most directly promotes, by failing to discourage, the disrespectful and undisciplined behavior of children that escalates through scofflaw and eventually into criminal activity.  The lack of consensus among neighbors on how to praise and/or admonish the behavior of children means that one of the most important elements in child rearing,

SOCIETY = COMMUNITY = ALL US OTHER ADULTS,

All in all, ignorance of each other promotes neighbor's natural suspicions and further discourages understanding through lack of communication of shared concerns.  This feeds upon itself to further increase mobility as families move out as fast as they move in and discover unfriendly neighborhoods; thereby enhancing the feelings of other residents:

"Why get to know them?  They'll be moving out soon, anyway!"

Eventually, other residents excuse their own inaction with:

"Nobody around here cares, anymore.  This neighborhood is getting worse each year.  We're going to move as soon as we can, so why waste our time or money?!"

And, rather than increase the opportunities for neighbors to get together and enhance their sense of community, we have done quite the opposite.  Neighborhoods faced with an abnormally high population of children are also faced with an abnormally low number of 'local' support group activities.  In the past, parents could safely meet each other, share their local concerns and ENHANCE THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY by attending some support group function sponsored on behalf of their children.  Most of these ceremonies, banquets and other functions were held within walking distance of one's home.  Now, those parents who have the time, energy and/or resources to travel to distant locales, meet others with whom they have little in common or with whom increased awareness of shared concerns does little to enhance cohesion or HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS in their totally distinct, far-flung neighborhoods.

Another aspect of some dysfunctional communities about which I am unqualified to speak, seems to be the legacy of slavery in the U.S.  Rather than becoming a rallying point upon which to build, it's just another 'avoided' topic discouraging communications, participation and resolution of problems.
 

DYSFUNCTIONAL CHILDREN:  Anyone having dealt with kids for an extended period realizes their amazing destructive power.  Most children are not malicious or vicious.  They are merely energetic, exuberant and ignorant; until WE TEACH THEM that pulling, climbing, running, jumping, pushing and handling each have their proper place and tempo.  They don't realize until after the fact that uncontrolled energy can break something, harm someone or otherwise get them in trouble.

Therefore, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that porch railings, slats, gutters & downspouts and most everything else within reach are, literally and figuratively, mere child's play.  The problem these days is that there are far too many children obliviously going about their merry way steadily destroying the neighborhood infrastructure.  This 'wildlike' behavior is evidenced in most of their societal activity and is being carried forward into adulthood.

And thanks to our recent phenomenon of removing grandparents to age segregated retirement centers, more single and multiple-working parent families and the disappearance of street & alley vendors and corner grocers on every block, there are left very few adults who also have the energy, time or inclination to praise and/or admonish their own, let alone neighborhood children.  We must remind ourselves that those returning home after an exhausting day dealing with others are not the most patient and tolerant communicators and role models for children.  It's usually been those not subjected to that daily stress who've been guiding children toward decency.  Statistically speaking, we have just about eliminated these highly skilled, non-stressed adults from many neighborhoods.  (Considered with the ageism inherent in separate transit systems and community centers, the inadequate exposure to and passing on of skills from highly skilled seniors should terrify those of us who will become dependent upon these same children when we retire.  How likely are they to empathize with and continue supporting us retirees when they've not been relating to or bonding with today's retirees!)

The ongoing, racist policy of benign neglect of integrating neighborhoods is promoting most the resegregation and/or gradual destruction of neighborhoods.  Allowing tri-plexes and otherwise promoting a higher density of children, poverty and inadequate resources in already dense neighborhoods is prima facie evidence of unconcern.

DYSFUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP:

Leaders do not reflect society; they project society.

Given that society is a reflection of its leadership, it's self-evident we've had inadequate leadership over the past few decades.  Racism, ageism, self-aggrandizement over altruism, drug, sex, environmental and other abuse all attest to the dire straits to which we've arrived.  The crisis nature of almost everything in our economy and social structure indicates we can't allow continued inaction or misdirection.  Regardless of whether it really takes a Great Depression to purge these 'societally suicidal' tendencies, it cannot but help to begin resolving them as fast and as soon as we can.

Regardless of specifics, SOLUTIONS should have as their GUIDING PHILOSOPHY:

The promotion of public activities which encourage communication and fellowship among all ages, widespread role modeling opportunities for youth and an enhanced sense of shared community among all neighborhood residents.

The following amplifies each of the significant aspects of this guiding philosophy:
 

PUBLIC ACTIVITIES are a self-regulating method of promoting community awareness.  They also increase role modeling experiences for both participants and those not yet committed to action but still observing from a distance.
 

COMMUNICATION AND FELLOWSHIP will begin reversing the anomie promoting most urban blight.  Grass roots communication will encourage understanding of and identity with shared, local concerns.  Each contact, whether verbal, written or exemplary, serves to enhance cohesion.  It may take twenty contacts for one individual to get involved; so the sooner those contacts are made, the sooner the involvement will begin.  (Leadership is most needed in showing people how to communicate WITHOUT DISCOURAGING further communications.  People need to be shown that communication, understanding and tolerance go hand in hand.  We need to be able to disagree without being disagreeable.)
 

AMONG ALL AGES reverses the trend toward promoting ageism to resolve racism.
 

WIDESPREAD ROLE MODELING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH are our future.  We are shooting ourselves in the foot by ignoring kids until their developmental dysfunction leads to US SUPPORTING THEM, through welfare or incarceration, instead of THEM SUPPORTING US in our retirement years.  The MORE decent and skilled adults to which MORE children are exposed, the MORE likely MORE of those children will benefit and also develop toward skilled decency.  That the opposite is also true is evidenced by drug and other scofflaw activity rampant in our society.  We especially need to encourage tolerant, skilled adults having a higher threshold of patience to become MORE actively involved in child development within dysfunctional neighborhoods.
 

AN ENHANCED SENSE OF SHARED COMMUNITY will sustain programs after interveners leave.  Outside intervention should be able to exit as fast as it enters any locale.  (Freedom dependent upon others for its expression is meaningless!)

GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS must first recognize that past policies are still promoting urban blight.  We need to emulate the example of hospital emergency rooms when faced with overwhelming catastrophe and prioritize our resources and remedies.  We won't be able to save all blocks, but we can save the vast majority with fast, focused and intelligent action.

Some blocks, especially in Milwaukee, where most large-scale parkland is distant from the central city, should be converted into rambling recreation strips.  The increased values of the remaining properties will more than compensate for values lost upon conversion to a non-tax paying, public basis; especially when one considers that many of these properties are abandoned and not now contributing to the property tax roll!  These recreation strips could also provide quick, relatively cheap, local space for the overpopulation of children in adjacent neighborhoods.  The needs of future downtown office workers for jogging, bicycling, horse back riding and other recreational space during 'two hour' lunch breaks might also be satisfied by this additional downtown green space.
 

EMERGENCY INTERVENTION TEAMS comprised of experts in all aspects of urban and social dysfunction and development must move in to save those neighborhoods which still have a chance.  The teams should focus upon and stay within a given area until the communication networks and social fabric become self-sustaining.  Teams then move on to another area.  (Team members may have to rotate, since the depression and stress associated with this type of work may be more than one person can take during any 3 out of 12 month period.)
 

IDENTIFICATION OF AND INTENSIVE SUPPORT FOR neighborhoods no longer able to solve their own problems is the first step in the process of urban revitalization.  As is the case with most things in life, this can be facilitated by ongoing, natural processes; a few of which are:

1. Housing rehabilitation projects, especially those risking private money, are identifying locales deemed worthy of saving.  In many cases, especially those connected with Milwaukee's Homestead rehabilitation project, additional support must come from Emergency Intervention Teams.  In any case, more than the usual amount of support and cooperation must be forthcoming from government agencies to sustain progress.

2. Community activist residents diligently working their way through the social fabric are a good source for discovering the real assets and liabilities in a given locale.  With greater support from everyone, they could accomplish more in one year than others could in a decade!

3. Private organizations and churches are a pre-existent, ready resource for quickly disseminating and gathering information about community needs and activities.  These organizations usually promote programs which are sustained by residents of the neighborhoods they serve.  They are already providing meeting space and promoting most of what little communication does exist in dysfunctional neighborhoods, but they cannot do the job without governmental help.

4. Private organizations are also a good source for volunteers and experienced supervision regarding programs implemented in specific neighborhoods.  Unless government wants to establish a permanent presence in EVERY neighborhood, we had best leave behind trained residents who are capable of sustaining and building upon such governmental intervention.  Involving existing local organizations in any intervention will naturally leave behind many trained residents.  Private organizations are also best suited to obtaining equipment and monetary donations for worthy programs.

The Big Brother, Big Sister programs should be expanded to include Big Families.  Past welfare policies have now given us entire families which are dysfunctional and becoming more so.  Many need caring, tolerant and patient role models who can 'show them' (via example rather than instruction) a more efficient way of living without bruising their egos beyond repair.
 

LAW AND REGULATION ENFORCEMENT must go hand in hand with other outside intervention.  It makes no sense to have the right hand of government encouraging development through rehabilitation programs while the left hand promotes deterioration and scofflaw activity through inadequate law and code enforcement.
 

CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS, comprising property owners on a given block is one way to place local resources in more caring hands.  These 'corporations' would simply buy, rehab, rent and eventually sell houses in their area.  They would also collect dues from non-members to maintain ALL lawns, streets, alleys and other public areas.  Non-members must not be allowed to let their property deteriorate to the detriment of others.  The government can facilitate this process through:

enabling legislation that encourages this type of local control; providing organizational expertise to get started; and allowing property taxing systems to also collect the non-member, mandatory dues.

DD:  07/11/89 IDEAS neighbhd FO=P 17:34:24

[ An example of neighbors taking control of their own neighborhood is exemplified in an article entitled, "Crackdown aims at noisemakers", in the June 8th, 1992 issued of The Milwaukee Journal.  The article also points to some of the problems outlined in this paper. ]

 
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Website link/location/URL: http://Ruben.Ciriacks.com/89711nd.htm