Author: R. M. Benjamin

Source Search

Posted on Author R. M. Benjamin

I started my search for sources on www.courant.com to look for a Hartford-related news article on the web. After trying a couple of keywords, I finally found one that interested me. I chose “In Hartford, A Map To A Better Way Of Life” (Kovner 2012) because it was relevant to the topic I wanted to delve into. The article discusses the conditions of Hartford’s neighborhoods as well as how, and what, people in governmental positions are doing to fix it. I like the article because it pertained to the concept of opportunity and opportunity mapping. The article also points out where opportunity is lacking within these neighborhoods.

My second source I acquired from doing a search on www.amazon.com. After sampling a few introductions to various books, I found one I particularly liked: Children in the City: Home Neighbourhood and Community (Christensen and O’Brian 2002). The book addresses the life of children in modern cities and how growing up in a city is made unique by this experience. Learning about life in a city relates to opportunity mapping as well. It addresses the advantages and disadvantages for children living in a city like Hartford.

A Google search brought me to my next source. Neighborhoods of Hartford, CT (O’Maxfield 2001) provides a great map of the neighborhoods in Hartford. In addition, each neighborhood has a link to its own webpage with pictures and history about the neighborhood. The website is useful because it provides background knowledge for someone who wishes to compare Hartford’s neighborhoods.

My final source is an article from EBSCOhost. Searching for scholarly articles with the keywords “Connecticut” and “neighborhoods,” I found an article entitled “Neighborhood Diversity, Metropolitan Constraints, and Household Migration” (Crowder et al. 2012). The scholarly article addresses a topic similar to that of the previous three sources I acquired. Interest in learning more about the opportunities found in urban neighborhoods, I thought the article useful because it addresses these topics.

 

Works Cited

Christensen, Pia, and Margaret O’Brien, eds. Children in the City: Home Neighbourhood and Community. 1st ed. Routledge, 2002. Print.

Crowder, Kyle1, Jeremy2 Pais, and Scott J.3 South. “Neighborhood Diversity, Metropolitan Constraints, and Household Migration.” American Sociological Review 77.3 (2012): 325–353. eft. Web.

Kovner, Josh. “In Hartford, A Map To A Better Way Of Life.” Courant.com. 30 May 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2012.

O’ Maxfield, Karen. “The Neighborhoods of Hartford, Connecticut.” 2001. Web. 22 Sept. 2012.

Exclusionary Zoning: What it Means

Posted on Author R. M. Benjamin

In the Kirwan Institute’s report on opportunity mapping, a key phrase is used often to describe the poor distribution of opportunity in the state of Connecticut. This phrase is “exclusionary zoning.”  To better understand the phrase, we need to break it into its parts.

Zoning, as described by Whitten in “West Hartford Zoning,” is a practice that many cities employ with the intent of organizing the land within the city. Whitten describes the three main districts as being residential, business, and industrial. When land within a city is zoned, the land is set aside for one of the three districts, and thus serves a specific purpose. Each district, then, has its own set of regulations. In the case of land in the residential district, certain regulations can be placed on the land, often determining how houses are built and which kinds of houses can be built in the area.

The word exclusionary is an adjective describing the act of excluding things, or shutting things out, based on a certain characteristic. In the case of exclusionary zoning, certain zoning regulations are created with the intent of denying the construction of certain types of homes within residential areas. In the Kirwin Institute’s report, Reece and his associates describe exactly how exclusionary zoning is used in the state of Connecticut, and why an observance of this practice is important:

Formal policies, such as exclusionary zoning… preserve and perpetuate segregation, even though they may not appear overtly discriminatory. Restrictions or bans on multi-family development, minimum lot sizes, age-restricted zoning, and low-density zoning limit the opportunities for low-income families or people of color to move to the suburbs, for both renters and owners. (Reece et al 20)

Simply put, certain zoning policies, especially in suburban areas, can place a ban on affordable and multi-family housing, preventing families of a lower economic status from enjoying the benefit of living in a suburban neighborhood and thus benefitting from a greater amount of opportunity.

(Planning and Zoning Department for Bloomfield, CT)

The practice of exclusionary zoning is more prevalent than one might think. Take any suburban city and study the zoning regulations—more often than not, the regulations will expose some sort of discrimination towards housing for low-income families. The example I use here comes from the Zoning Regulations for the town of Bloomfield, CT. I have two parts highlighted. First, I note that the only type of houses mentioned as being acceptable by zoning signoff are single family houses. This means that multiple family homes are not permitted. Second, I highlight that affordable houses may also be allowed– if the houses are for municipal firefighters. Essentially, the zoning regulations for the town of Bloomfield leave no room for families seeking more affordable housing. This allows the town to isolate itself from citizens of a lower economic class, and as a result, isolate itself from many of Hartford’s minorities, perpetuating the segregation Reece of the Kirwin Institute mentioned earlier.

 

Reece, Jason et al. People, Place and Opportunity: Mapping Communitites of Opportunity in Connecticut. Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.

Whitten, Robert Harvey. West Hartford Zoning. Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford,. West Hartford, CT: Zoning Commission, 1924. Print.

Planning and Zoning Department. Zoning Regulations: Town of Bloomfield– CT. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Town of Bloomfield– CT, 25 June 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. <http://bloomfieldct.org/Resources.ashx?id=c0f0f920-1af1-4a57-99b9-6c86b43f4137>.

Exclusionary Zoning: What it Means

Posted on Author R. M. Benjamin

In the Kirwan Institute’s report on opportunity mapping, a key phrase is used often to describe the poor distribution of opportunity in the state of Connecticut. This phrase is “exclusionary zoning.”  To better understand the phrase, we need to break it into its parts.

Zoning, as described by Whitten in “West Hartford Zoning,” is a practice that many cities employ with the intent of organizing the land within the city. Whitten describes the three main districts as being residential, business, and industrial. When land within a city is zoned, the land is set aside for one of the three districts, and thus serves a specific purpose. Each district, then, has its own set of regulations. In the case of land in the residential district, certain regulations can be placed on the land, often determining how houses are built and which kinds of houses can be built in the area.

The word exclusionary is an adjective describing the act of excluding things, or shutting things out, based on a certain characteristic. In the case of exclusionary zoning, certain zoning regulations are created with the intent of denying the construction of certain types of homes within residential areas. In the Kirwin Institute’s report, Reece and his associates describe exactly how exclusionary zoning is used in the state of Connecticut, and why an observance of this practice is important:

Formal policies, such as exclusionary zoning… preserve and perpetuate segregation, even though they may not appear overtly discriminatory. Restrictions or bans on multi-family development, minimum lot sizes, age-restricted zoning, and low-density zoning limit the opportunities for low-income families or people of color to move to the suburbs, for both renters and owners. (Reece et al 20)

Simply put, certain zoning policies, especially in suburban areas, can place a ban on affordable and multi-family housing, preventing families of a lower economic status from enjoying the benefit of living in a suburban neighborhood and thus benefitting from a greater amount of opportunity.

(Planning and Zoning Department for Bloomfield, CT)

The practice of exclusionary zoning is more prevalent than one might think. Take any suburban city and study the zoning regulations—more often than not, the regulations will expose some sort of discrimination towards housing for low-income families. The example I use here comes from the Zoning Regulations for the town of Bloomfield, CT. I have two parts highlighted. First, I note that the only type of houses mentioned as being acceptable by zoning signoff are single family houses. This means that multiple family homes are not permitted. Second, I highlight that affordable houses may also be allowed– if the houses are for municipal firefighters. Essentially, the zoning regulations for the town of Bloomfield leave no room for families seeking more affordable housing. This allows the town to isolate itself from citizens of a lower economic class, and as a result, isolate itself from many of Hartford’s minorities, perpetuating the segregation Reece of the Kirwin Institute mentioned earlier.

 

Reece, Jason et al. People, Place and Opportunity: Mapping Communitites of Opportunity in Connecticut. Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.

Whitten, Robert Harvey. West Hartford Zoning. Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford,. West Hartford, CT: Zoning Commission, 1924. Print.

Planning and Zoning Department. Zoning Regulations: Town of Bloomfield– CT. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Town of Bloomfield– CT, 25 June 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. <http://bloomfieldct.org/Resources.ashx?id=c0f0f920-1af1-4a57-99b9-6c86b43f4137>.

Money Buys More Than a Home

Posted on Author R. M. Benjamin

Due to my age and inexperience, I have never faced the challenge of buying a home and selecting the appropriate neighborhood for my children to grow up in. In addition, being new to the Hartford area, I am mostly unfamiliar with the suburbs surrounding Hartford and what sort of education these suburbs have access to. This simulation taught me both how the home buying and mortgage process works as well as what sort of educational experience my children could receive if my family settled in a suburb of Hartford.

At the start of the simulation, I received one of best family profiles (by the grace of Professor Dougherty’s random selection). I quickly learned, with an annual gross income of 54k and savings of 10k, that not only could I easily afford a two or three bedroom house in the suburbs, but I could also afford a home that was highly attractive.

My favorite home, located on 248 Hollister Way West in Glastonbury, CT (1)

My favorite home was located in Glastonbury, CT. Rich red in color, modern in design, with two bathrooms and three bedrooms, the home appeared to be perfect for my two children and me. Also, at $209,900, the house fit perfectly into my budget (according to the home affordability calculator2). When I browsed the education information, conveniently located on the house buying site, I was even more amazed. Most of the schools in the area ranked an 8 or 9 on a scale of 10. By far, the schools in Glastonbury had the highest ranking of any of the other schools I found nearby other houses I was looking at in Berlin, New Britain, and West Hartford, just to name a few.

The schools in the area had an incredibly high ranking, with most at an 8 or 9 out of 10. (3)

Because I had such a big budget, money was barely an issue, and I found I had many homes to choose from and in a variety of locations. I feel, if this simulation where to put on the web, more comparison between homes and schools available in Hartford, versus homes and schools available in the surrounding suburbs, would make the simulation more effective. I barely noticed the effect that money had on the schooling available to my children. However, that was because I had plenty of money to go around. Perhaps, if I had worked with a smaller sum, I would have realized that many suburban homes and suburban schools would have been off-limits to me. I guess you could say, with so much money to spend, it was difficult for me to understand the plight of some of my other classmates who were limited to areas with poorer school systems.

Knowing how the whole system works, however, I realize that money buys more than a home. It buys access to the local schools and buys the surrounding neighborhood. I was just lucky enough to be able to afford schools and a neighborhood that were excellent.

 

1“248 Hollister Way West Unit: 248.” Realtor.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2012. <http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/248-Hollister-Way-W-Unit-248_Glastonbury_CT_06033_M47782-96479>.

2“How Much House Can You Afford?” Affordable Home Calculator from CNNMoney. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2012. <http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/houseafford/houseafford.html>.

3“248 Hollister Way West Unit: 248.” Realtor.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2012. <http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/248-Hollister-Way-W-Unit-248_Glastonbury_CT_06033_M47782-96479>.

Money Buys More Than a Home

Posted on Author R. M. Benjamin

Due to my age and inexperience, I have never faced the challenge of buying a home and selecting the appropriate neighborhood for my children to grow up in. In addition, being new to the Hartford area, I am mostly unfamiliar with the suburbs surrounding Hartford and what sort of education these suburbs have access to. This simulation taught me both how the home buying and mortgage process works as well as what sort of educational experience my children could receive if my family settled in a suburb of Hartford.

At the start of the simulation, I received one of best family profiles (by the grace of Professor Dougherty’s random selection). I quickly learned, with an annual gross income of 54k and savings of 10k, that not only could I easily afford a two or three bedroom house in the suburbs, but I could also afford a home that was highly attractive.

My favorite home, located on 248 Hollister Way West in Glastonbury, CT (1)

My favorite home was located in Glastonbury, CT. Rich red in color, modern in design, with two bathrooms and three bedrooms, the home appeared to be perfect for my two children and me. Also, at $209,900, the house fit perfectly into my budget (according to the home affordability calculator2). When I browsed the education information, conveniently located on the house buying site, I was even more amazed. Most of the schools in the area ranked an 8 or 9 on a scale of 10. By far, the schools in Glastonbury had the highest ranking of any of the other schools I found nearby other houses I was looking at in Berlin, New Britain, and West Hartford, just to name a few.

The schools in the area had an incredibly high ranking, with most at an 8 or 9 out of 10. (3)

Because I had such a big budget, money was barely an issue, and I found I had many homes to choose from and in a variety of locations. I feel, if this simulation where to put on the web, more comparison between homes and schools available in Hartford, versus homes and schools available in the surrounding suburbs, would make the simulation more effective. I barely noticed the effect that money had on the schooling available to my children. However, that was because I had plenty of money to go around. Perhaps, if I had worked with a smaller sum, I would have realized that many suburban homes and suburban schools would have been off-limits to me. I guess you could say, with so much money to spend, it was difficult for me to understand the plight of some of my other classmates who were limited to areas with poorer school systems.

Knowing how the whole system works, however, I realize that money buys more than a home. It buys access to the local schools and buys the surrounding neighborhood. I was just lucky enough to be able to afford schools and a neighborhood that were excellent.

 

1“248 Hollister Way West Unit: 248.” Realtor.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2012. <http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/248-Hollister-Way-W-Unit-248_Glastonbury_CT_06033_M47782-96479>.

2“How Much House Can You Afford?” Affordable Home Calculator from CNNMoney. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2012. <http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/houseafford/houseafford.html>.

3“248 Hollister Way West Unit: 248.” Realtor.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2012. <http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/248-Hollister-Way-W-Unit-248_Glastonbury_CT_06033_M47782-96479>.