In this large city I call home, we live close to downtown in an historic neighborhood, characterized by old houses which have been restored, rentals (some kept up and some not), houses in disrepair, and, like ours, houses not exactly in disrepair, but houses that need work to keep them updated. We have lived here many years and know most of our neighbors, it is comfortable and home to us. Many of our acquaintances, however, would not feel safe here - and don't get me wrong, I don't throw caution to the wind and leave things unlocked, but neither do I fear going outside, walking in my neighborhood (during the day anyway), or sitting on my screened in porch anytime of the day or night.
A couple of evenings ago, I had the occasion to be in a home in the "Oaklawn" neighborhood. This area is located in the southeast part of my city, and was built shortly after WWII in answer to the aircraft companies needing cheap, fast, affordable housing for its workers. According to an internet source -
The homes weren't fancy, being built on concrete pads, and followed the same simple design throughout. Some were two bedroom, others were three bedrooms, and a few were small cottage types. The housing was only temporary until the city's economy caught up with Boeing and more homes could be built and sold. The long term plan was to demolish the structures and return the area to its original condition.
However, nothing was demolished, and Oaklawn today, particularly on the south side is cheap, rundown rentals, couches in yards, peeling paint, dogs on chains in the front yards, abandoned vehicles, and about everything you wouldn't want in a neighborhood, particularly in the mid section of this area. There are homes that have been kept up, but these are not in the majority. There is a small park for kids which looks like it has recently been built, and there are people who take pride in ownership of their homes, but they are few.
After I left my friend's house, I drove through Oaklawn looking for an address of someone I've known (but I've only been to her house twice). I normally am not on high alert as I drive through neighborhoods, but this was different. I saw two guys in a fist fight on the street, and as I kept going, turned down a road that ended up being a circular drive with people out in their yards watching me as I passed by. Junk piled on curbs, people standing in the street, dogs barking - these things contributed to an extremely uneasy feeling I had and I got out of there, thankfully finding a street which dumped out on 47th street.
I have been thinking about this a lot - what it must be like to be afraid to live in your own home? What it must be like to not be able to be comfortable in your own environment? What kids are like who grow up there in poverty and to the sounds of gunfire and the smells of unpicked up trash? It would be difficult to live each day on "high alert", and very taxing to the body and mind - but people do it every day. Oaklawn needs help. I know there is a neighborhood association, and there's a school, and there's a church or two, but somehow I get the feeling that like an ugly boil on your backside, our city leaders would rather not think about it. I dunno. I have no answers, only a sudden awareness that in the southeast part of town, families are really struggling.
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