African Americans In The 1900s

Question 1:

In 1900s as the population of the black community increase in many southern cities so is also the need to build more affordable houses that they will live in. The characteristics that plagued the black community in the 1900s even up till now is that majority of the working class in the black community are lower income earners. There is high rate of unemployment and crime rate. There also exists high rate of maternity. The challenge city planners face is to carry out a land reform considering human population growth, industrial growth, and health challenges that arise from hazardous chemicals or wastes produced by the companies.
Racial zoning is the activation of zoning ordinances to exclude African
American community from using certain types of land in a geographic region.
The goal of racial zoning is to shield the public from industrial hazardous chemicals or wastes.
This is why land use is segregated i.e with a distinct use of industrial and residential lands. The tools used in reshaping the rural and urban landscape in the United States include using and enforcing land use regulations, zoning using the southern cities model, and comprehensive planning carried out by rural planners, city planners, and environmental experts.
For instance, in the city of Columbus, Ohio most African Americans live in zones that are restrictive and exclusive. Areas that have a high population of African Americans do not have close access to grocery stores that carry fresh produce. Instead there is a plethora of corner convenient stores that carry alcohol, tobacco products and junk food which has led to the surrounding population having higher incidents of obesity, alcoholism and poor health. Also the crime rates in these areas are relatively higher than other zones due to the lack of job availability and
creation.
In such areas there is hardly any access to quality schools, job opportunities, safe streets and quality healthcare.
The Environmental Protection Agency laid guidelines for treatment and how hazardous chemicals can be disposed but most industries don’t follow proper guidelines. This on the short and long run pose health challenges for humans and other living organisms living in that geographical region. Most of the victims of this pollutants are African Americans because their houses are located within the geographical mile radius where these heavy industries are. The driving out of the minority people especially African Americans from the gentrifying industrial zones is referred to as expulsive zoning.
Most industries in the gentrifying area use or discharge toxic chemicals into the environment. A non-proper treatment of this toxic waste in forms of solid, liquid and gas cause adverse health effects on reduce their life span of people. A covenant refers to a legally enforceable agreement placed in a deed when a property is purchased. Racially restrictive covenants refer to a contract agreement which prohibit a particular group of people from leasing, buying or occupying any piece of property. The major target of this racial restrictive covenants are the African Americans. This was validated after 1926 U.S supreme court decision. Question 2

My group project topic is important when attempting to create a socially just city because we found out the common causes of food insecurity, which group of the society that is imparted and comparing in urban and suburban food insecurity.
We deducted that common cause of food insecurity include but not limited to natural disaster, poverty, low agricultural output, disease epidemic or pandemic.
I viewed my topic as important because as the human population increases so does the demand for food products. There exists an increasing competition for land use, water use and energy use in Weinland Park and Delaware region in the state of Ohio. Food insecurity comes when certain group of individuals lack the financial means to buy nutritional foods that will meet their body needs. Food insecurity also occurs when there is shortage of agro-produce capable of going around the households in the
neighborhood.
High After a lengthy group discussion, our group analytically submitted that the major feasible ways of solving the problems of food insecurity in this communities include using empty lots and green space for planting community gardens. The community garden soils and climate can be utilized during the spring and summer to plant some different crop preferences that have high nutritional value to feed their population. The locally grown crops will create some forms of competition, thereby driving down the cost of food products. To prevent food waste, the remaining harvested crops can be stored using refrigeration, drying, canning e.t.c so that it will be available during autumn and winter. Reduction of tax on food products by the city and state government will make them affordable to low income households that are struggling with price hike for food products.
Another problem associated with suburban and urban region { i.e Weinland Park and Delaware} is poor transit systems. In the two geographical regions, the major means of transportation using private cars. The Delaware comprising majorly east side and east of lake street have mini public bus offered by Delaware Transit Agency {DATA} which is capable of moving people and goods but the number of trips made is limited due to poor funding.
The group of people impacted by these food insecurity and poor means of transportation are the low-income people and students. The ways in which this connect to class is that if every member of the society living in this geographical location have daily access to food and good means of transportation, the urban and suburban region will be more functional.
High crime rate, drug abuse epidemic, and high mortality due to drug overdose associated with Weinland Park can be reduced using community policing, education and awareness of the impending problem associated with use of hard drugs.