NationStates Jolt Archive

OK, this is a spur from the France topic. Housing projects are a disaster as can be seen there.

The best US example of housing projects would be Chicago. Chicago built numerous projects in the 1950s and early 1960s. These included the nation's largest project, the Robert Taylor Homes on the East side of the Dan Ryan (and right across the expressway from my beloved Comiskey Park.)

Chicago's worse project though was the most violent neighborhood in the nation, the infamous Cabrini-Green (that is where the movie "Hardball" takes place.) The projects were a dismal failure as it became an area of concentrated crime. Gangs formed in each building and began to fight wars over buildings. 8 year old girls like the famous Girl X were raped and poisoned in stairwells.

It took Chicago some time, but they tore down the projects and are replacing them with mixed income neighborhoods that have been successful so far.

OK, this is a spur from the France topic. Housing projects are a disaster as can be seen there.

The best US example of housing projects would be Chicago. Chicago built numerous projects in the 1950s and early 1960s. These included the nation's largest project, the Robert Taylor Homes on the East side of the Dan Ryan (and right across the expressway from my beloved Comiskey Park.)

Chicago's worse project though was the most violent neighborhood in the nation, the infamous Cabrini-Green (that is where the movie "Hardball" takes place.) The projects were a dismal failure as it became an area of concentrated crime. Gangs formed in each building and began to fight wars over buildings. 8 year old girls like the famous Girl X were raped and poisoned in stairwells.

It took Chicago some time, but they tore down the projects and are replacing them with mixed income neighborhoods that have been successful so far.


That tear-down was happenning all over the US as a result of a change in HUD policy. The Feds forced the states, which forced counties and cities to do the same.

It works. Deconcentrating the poor really works.

Detroit used to have some pretty bad Projects too.

i find it hard to believe anybody could have ever thought that putting up what amounted to giant warehouses to keep the poor in was a great idea. it's just so obviously stupid.

It works. Deconcentrating the poor really works.

of course, the rich don't like it. all those dirty brown-skinned people driving on 'their' streets, and living in 'their' neighborhoods. the horror of it all. so, of course, they retreated behind fortified enclaves with private security forces to keep out 'those people'

i find it hard to believe anybody could have ever thought that putting up what amounted to giant warehouses to keep the poor in was a great idea. it's just so obviously stupid.

It was done all over the US in the 1960s.

It seems to have been done by France - hence their current problems.

I think it comes from not looking at an idea closely enough. Some people feel that as long as we're spending on social welfare, all will be good.

It is possible, though, to spend and plan so badly, you make things worse.

So always question the plan and the spending - make sure you don't make things worse.

i find it hard to believe anybody could have ever thought that putting up what amounted to giant warehouses to keep the poor in was a great idea. it's just so obviously stupid.Obvious now, perhaps. My guess is that it wasn't so obvious then.

It took Chicago some time, but they tore down the projects and are replacing them with mixed income neighborhoods that have been successful so far.
Living in "the Projects" became a byword for "hopeless." The message to those who wound up there was loud and clear: "You're not worth us taking the time to figure out how to help you. Here's a warehouse for you to live in." :(

Obvious now, perhaps. My guess is that it wasn't so obvious then.

I think that what prevented people from looking closely at the idea was that if you opposed the plan, you were painted as someone who opposed welfare spending.

I think that what prevented people from looking closely at the idea was that if you opposed the plan, you were painted as someone who opposed welfare spending.
That was probably part of it. There was also a dose of "it may not be the best solution, but at least it's something" involved, I'd guess.

Detroit used to have some pretty bad Projects too.
Getting rid of projects can't save that hell hole. They should tear down the whole city and start from scratch. Their mayor is a corrupt douche bag who spent millions with the city credit card for new SUVs and a home, but the morons who live there still want to re-elect him. I used to live in SE Michigan. The only times we'd go to Detroit would be to see the White Sox when they played the kittens (he he clever) at Tiger Stadium. We'd go to Windsor for dinner since Detroit sucked so much.

Chicago's projects are worse than Detroit's though. Seriously, go by the remains of Cabrini-Green and see how bad it is. Thank God the final building of the Robert Taylor Homes was just destroyed. It was an eyesore to see that looking out towards centerfield at Comiskey.