6.10 Urban Challenges
Directions: Use the AMSCO text Chapter 20 (pages 337 – 348) to complete the following notes. This is
an important section and you will be tested on this on our Unit Exam for sure! Please answer in a color
other than black or go back and highlight your answers when complete.
Introduction:
interconnections
nodes
1) “Cities are __________________, places characterized by numerous ______________________
complexity
and ___________________________. This can make them leading centers for
Innovation, cultural diversity, and art
__________________________________________________________....Cities can (also) be
violence, and environmental decay.
places of poverty, ___________________________________________________.”
Economic Problems of Cities
2) Where is “Urban Poverty” found in each of the following regions:
A) North America – Regions just outside the CBDs
B) Europe – Densely Settled Peripheral Suburbs
C) LDCs – Squatter Settlements and Favelas
3) Identify “Brownfields”. Include why and were they develop.
Brownfields are visual reminders on the landscape of how the centers of cities have changed
over time. They are usually buildings that are fallings apart with polluted/contaminated soils
which are too costly to remove and repair and therefore often remain in cities.
4) Identify “Filtering” and how it is a sign on an area in decline.
Filtering is the change in the use of a house form a single-family home to rented units in a
multifamily dwellings and eventually to an abandoned building. It’s a sign of decline because the
houses usually start from a wealthy family during a prosperous time, so when it is being filtered,
it’s apparent that that golden age is gone.
5) Identify “Redlining” What was it often based on (laws now make this illegal)?
Redlining is when banks refuse loans to those who want to purchase and improve properties in
certain urban areas. It was often based off of by red lines on maps around struggling
neighborhoods based off of racial discrimination.
6) Identify “Urban Redevelopment”. Note a possible positive and a possible negative as well.
Urban Redevelopment is when you renovate a site within a city by removing the existing
landscape and rebuilding from the ground up. Cities can use eminent domain laws to seize the
land to building new roads or schools, or to sell to private businesses. The negative is that it
forces poor people to leave their homes and communities. It can also break up and eliminate
historic neighborhoods.
Social and Cultural Problems in Cities
7) How can housing be dangerous in the Shanty Towns and Slums of LDCs?
Poor residents construct housing from whatever is available, even if that means sheets of tin
and plastic. This results in a lack of enforcement of housing codes, which leads to dangerously
weak homes.
8) Describe the housing in the Inner Cities of North American MDCs.
It is usually poor quality, insufficiently available, and is significantly unaffordable. Also usually
unmaintained. Landlords often delay making expensive repairs.
9) Identify “Gentrification”. Note why this process can be a problem for the poor.
Gentrification is when wealthy people move into a neighborhood and make it unaffordable to
the current residents due to an increase in property value and taxes. This forces poor people to
move out as they can no longer afford the taxes or rent of their property.
10) Identify “NIMBY” and explain how it can apply to housing for the poor.
NIMBY (Not in my neighborhood) a response to the scattered site solution. It adds public
housing in different areas throughout a city so they have better access to schools and amenities
in weather neighborhoods. The issue is that it can decrease the value of the property it is
around.
11) What services are often missing from poor areas in cities? Why?
In areas with lower tax bases, parks, swimming pools, doctors, and dentists are often scarce.
12) Identify “Food Deserts” and explain why they are a problem in cities with poor public
transportation.
Food deserts are urban zones that lack food store options. In cities with poor public
transportation, poor people are stuck with the limited, often unhealthy options they have in
their food desert and end up being unhealthier.
13) The United States has a long history of “Racial Segregation” with neighborhoods, historically,
where African Americans could live and where they could not. This was enforced by law and by
violence. There are other ways, as well, that people separate themselves from others in cities.
Define each of the terms below that deal with this subject:
A) Blockbusting – People of one ethnic group (middleclass white people) would be frightened
into selling their homes at low prices when they heard that a family of another group was
moving into the neighborhood.
B) Ghettos – Areas of poverty occupied by a minority group as a result of discrimination
C) Ethnic Enclaves (aka Urban Colonies) – When people voluntarily choose to live near people
of their own race/ethnicity for social reasons.
D) Gated Communities – Walled/Fenced neighborhoods with limited access and entry points.
Political Issues in Cities
14) Why do “cars” create problems inside large cities?
They cause air pollution, they congest roads and make people slower, and they use valuable real
estate for parking.
15) Give a few examples of “Public Transportation”.
Buses, subways, light rail, and trains operated by a government agency.
16) Compare public transportation in the United States to Other countries in the world.
Public transportation in the US sucks compared to other countries. There is far more public
transportation in cities of Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
17) Look at the list of “Other Infrastructure” at the top of page 345. Why are these old and falling
apart in many cities? (2 reasons)
They are old and falling apart because building, repairing, and replacing infrastructure is costly
and incredibly disruptive in busy urban areas.
18) Identify “Informal Economy” and “Shadow Economy”. (These 2 are very similar)
Informal Economy is the portion of the economy that isn’t taxed, regulated, or managed by the
government. Shadow economy is filled with shadow enterprises that aren’t regulated for the
safety of either workers or consumers and undercut businesses that do operate openly and
follow regulations.
19) Look at the bar graph on page 346. Compare the Shadow Economies of the United States and
Haiti. How does this cause problems in Haiti?
This causes issues in Haiti because this means most of the economy is running unchecked which
can cause issues in the quality and legality of that economy.
Environmental Problems in Cities
20) Cite ONE example/explanation of how the physical landscape of an urban area can impact each
of the following:
A) Flooding – Soils are replaced with hard surfaces that can’t soak up water which causes
rainwater to run off.
B) Temperature – Concentration of buildings creates an urban heat island thanks to a portion
of a city being warmer than surrounding regions.
C) Wildlife – Cities destroy animal and plant habitats, replaces natural hydrologic systems, and
break up ecosystems.
D) Air Quality – Automobile pollution creates smog in large cities.
21) Name 3 things that have contributed to the increase in Urban Sprawl in the US:
A) Availability of automobiles
B) Creation of interstate and other high-speed highways
C) The Presence of Inexpensive land outside the urban area