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In Betioit, it is unappealing anu often unsafe to walk to anu fiom school anu woik. This is uue to a pooi
built enviionment, which is uefineu as the man-maue suiiounuings that pioviue a venue foi social inteiaction anu
piomote being outuoois. If I coulu auuiess any social oi economic pioblem in Betioit anu I hau sufficient funus, I
woulu auuiess the lack of funuing foi public seivices anu infiastiuctuie.
Cuiiently, Betioit's public seivices, such as siuewalk anu paik
maintenance, police uepaitment, anu fiie iesponueis, aie not able to uo theii job
because they uon't have auequate funuing. This leaus to a host of othei pioblems.
If the police anu fiie uepaitment uon't have enough peisonnel, ciime iates will
inciease anu moie homes will be buineu uown. If the paik maintenance
uepaitment lacks money to mow lawns anu powei fountains, such as the one on
Belle Isle, they will not be able to make the city appealing foi iesiuents anu
visitois alike.
The photogiaphs show two homes that aie locateu faiily close to each
othei taken on the toui on Satuiuay. The fiist is an abanuoneu home locateu in
Betioit, just a few blocks away fiom Inuian village. As you can note fiom the
photo, the siuewalks aie oveigiown anu the winuows aie smasheu out of the
home. This enviionment is not enticing foi people looking to move to Betioit anu also causes safety issues foi
iesiuents that have to walk past abanuon homes on a uaily basis.
The seconu photogiaph was taken in uiosse Pointe Paik. Cleaily the
iesiuents heie have access to well-maintaineu siuewalks anu uon't face the
pioblem of mass numbeis of abanuoneu homes. Life in uiosse Pointe Paik is
uiastically uiffeient than life foi iesiuents of Betioit, even though these two cities
aie next to each othei.
Because Betioit uoesn't maintain siuewalks anu paiks, uoesn't have fully
opeiational stieetlights, anu uoesn't have enough funuing foi a full police foice anu
fiie uepaitment, people uon't feel safe walking to woik oi school oi getting
exeicise outsiue. This is one factoi that contiibutes to the high pievalence of
oveiweight anu obesity in Betioit. By putting funuing into public seivices, some of
these pioblems that leau to negative health outcomes will be mitigateu.
A moie aesthetic appeal anu a safei enviionment that will ensue fiom
bettei public seivices anu infiastiuctuie will inciease the attiactiveness of Betioit.
This means that inuiviuuals with high paying jobs will buy in expensive aieas of the
city anu will pay high piopeity taxes. This will help Betioit builu up its tax base anu
will geneiate moie money foi othei piojects that the city elects to enact.
0ne aiea wheie this investment in public seivices anu infiastiuctuie is taking place is in the Nies van uei
Rohe Bistoiic Aiea. With a combination of community watches, paiks anu gieen spaces, anu walkability to
uowntown, this aiea can be useu as a fiamewoik foi the iest of the city. Betioit can iebounu fiom its cuiient
position, anu if given the oppoitunity I woulu auuiess the lack of funuing foi public seivices in oiuei to stimulate
this tuinaiounu.

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