URBAN PROBLEMS & POINT DOUGLAS SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY

JORDAN HANNA 7667607 JUNE 14TH 2013 URBAN GEOGRAPHY

Economic instability creates hosts of problems from struggling families to entire neighbourhoods. Poverty therefore creates urban problems that are present in each metropolitan area, but the extent and characteristic of each city is unique and different than the next metro. Within is a brief introduction to the issue of poverty, its causes effects and potential policy responses to its presence. This section will cover what poverty represents, and the sociospatial dialectic it creates by reinforcing its own mechanisms of poverty. With poverty in mind, subsequent discussion will be designated to the research of social geography inherent to Point Douglas in Central Winnipeg. This research allows for an understanding of the historic and current situation the community is undergoing, and with particular emphasis on economic appeal for low-income households. The objective is to examine and explain why Point Douglas has experienced large in migrations of lowincome residents; why income is much lower than the city average and why dwelling price and condition play a critical role in distracting investment and income diversity.

PART 1 CAUSE & EFFECT OF POVERTY & HOMELESSNESS

This portion of discussion is allocated to the causes and effects of poverty and homelessness. A reoccurring and particularly reinforcing concept with concern to poverty is the socio-spatial dialectic. This concept is defined as the mutually interacting process in which people shape the structure of cities and at the same time are themselves affected by the structure of

those cities.1 This means poverty as a process reinforces social structure of cities, which then feeds back into the poverty cycle. The primary cause of poverty is economic in nature; low incomes, little equitable assets and a low quality of life create a sense of deprivation. What make poverty apparent are not only these preconditions to be met, but also for them to be persistent over time, not just an acute occurrence. Institutional assistance has created great gaps in representing the poorer demographics in metropolitan areas. This creates the illusion of a welfare state being involved proportionally in poverty, when in fact is not. Poverty therefore is the result of a problematic economic system leaning on free competition and private profit that creates income distribution discrepancies. 2 The stress of low incomes, little-to-no equitable assets such as low value housing if any value and low standard of living create encroaching effects on the poor and surround social environment. Poverty cycles and cycles of decay has been observed for some time in many metropolitan neighbourhoods. Low income and quality of life lead to a spiral of decay concerning poverty. It is here where the socio-spatial dialectic comes into play. In poorer or older neighbourhoods, theres little to no incentive to address physic al deterioration and structural or technological obsolescence. This of course is substandard and only is available to low-income tenants, generally in a crowded locale , such as transition zones in CBDs, or in the inner city. At a certain point, the deterioration process becomes so great that homes and even whole neighbourhoods must be abandoned, leading to slum-like conditions.3 This downwards spiral feeds back into the causes of poverty little to no asset value, low standard of living, persistent low incomes and little chance at change. These stressors feed the cycle of poverty, which provides disincentives to participate in a proper educational environment. With poor

1 2

Knox, Paul and McCarthy, Linda. Urbanization. Pearson Education Inc. 2005. 574. Ibid, 413. 3 Ibid, 414.
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education, poorer residents are limited to the lowest-skilled jobs available, generally paying the lowest; and the cycle becomes full flower by feeding into itself. A downward spiral of deterioration is not isolated, but accumulates in locales deemed poverty areas. Poverty is defined as a set of income thresholds that can vary based on family size and composition.4 For some perspective, a family of four is in poverty when their household income is $18,400 per year, meaning 35 million Americans are in poverty, about one tenth of the American population. A poverty area becomes such when 20% of households in an area are below the poverty line, and extreme poverty is when its over 40%. It is then a good way to infer the inherent problem of urban change and to how extensive it is. Detroit for example exploded in terms of poverty rates of neighbourhoods; from 1970-1990, half of the CBD was composed of extreme poverty areas.5 Though in their case it began to reverse in 2000s, the extent of even lower-poverty areas is wide spread, and extreme poverty has been somewhat contained to isolated areas. Jobs are often an issue for the poor in poverty areas. Spatial mismatch refers to the relocation of lower-skilled jobs from the inner city to the suburbs, which had previously employed low-income, low-skill citizens, who now are mismatched with higher-skilled jobs in the area. Poverty areas have a demand for lower-skilled jobs, but with little to offer the supply-side, many potential workers would have to relocate or commute farther which is unpractical or nearly impossible in many cases. Particularly in the US, only 33% of whites would have to relocate to find proper work, such as retail or other low-skill jobs. However, for blacks the numbers increase to nearly 55% of the population is accrued by spatial mismatch of employment.6 The employment spatial mismatch between ethnicities creates definite segregation between whites and blacks, creating a sense of entrapment in employment opportunities, particularly the black population. It is especially bad in Detroit MI, where the mismatch percentage for blacks is around 70%, while segregation is the

4 5

Ibid, 416. Ibid, 420. 6 Ibid, 425.

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highest in the country.7 These attributes create a social environment that affects the population who also are affecting the same social space through crime, physical deterioration and poverty areas. Criminal violence is much like poverty in that it is interconnected with several causal processes, and in turn is highly complementary to poverty. Researchers have confirmed the linkages between poverty, income inequality and violent crimes.8 But these linkages are hard to dissect from other factors like ethnicity and inequality, family dynamics and social composition. However, economic effects, particularly for the poor play a large role in how violence is fostered. Economic deprivation plays a key role in fostering violence as an expression and measure of toughness. This can create a sense of resentment to which the only outlet for those experiencing this effect is to engage in violent crime or activities. Research also shows the demographic most likely to partake in criminal activity are those in their late teens and early twenties.9 Particular for this demographic is the malleability of their emotions of resentment in relation to their economic and social positions. Criminal violence is therefore more prevalent when neighbourhoods host such a composition, but had differential effects when considering different socio-demographic groups.

PART 2 POINT DOUGLAS RESEARCH & ANALYSIS

a. Research Introduction & Theoretical approach This paper and analysis focuses on the variables necessary to appreciate the economically depressed conditions experienced by Point Douglas. The research is based upon analyzing population, ethnicity, income, education and dwelling condition to interpret what attracts such lowincome residents to Point Douglas. The theoretical approach used is the factorial ecology approach. This approach assumes the multivariate nature of social geography and thus, can evaluate the social, spatial and economic dimensions of Point Douglas. Quantitative interpretations of data are extrapolated to analyze differences, trends and similarities from Winnipeg to Point Douglas.
7 8

Ibid. Ibid, 426. 9 Ibid.

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Extrapolation is used in the form of tables primarily and secondly through charts, describing the depth of variables over time and how they compare to Winnipeg as a whole. b. Area of Study Description Point Douglas has a history much like many growing cities growth of industry and intrametropolitan mobility. The area experienced great industrial expansion in the early twentieth century, particularly mills and iron plants.10 Newly established business and landowners took advantage of proximate work locations and as such, automobile reliance was almost zero. However, pollution became problematic and many entrepreneurs relocated. Following coal to diesel transitions and the automobile uprising, a lot of residents began to migrate to other locations within the city, while simultaneously large numbers of aboriginals migrating in from reserves and other rural communities.11 Landlords became increasingly reluctant to invest into residential improvements, and thus physical deterioration became apparent. The homes occupied by the newly migrated aboriginals were by in large low-income, who had next to nothing in terms of assets. Since this point, the region has been struggling and earned a reputation in the city as being one of the worst communities in Winnipeg. The Point Douglas area resides in the central portion of Winnipeg. Only several kilometers north of Portage and Main, is adjacent to the Inkster, Downtown, River East and Seven Oaks
10

Community Connections, Point Douglas, Community Resource Network, accessed June 9th 2013, http://pointdouglas.cimnet.ca/cim/dbf/Area%20History.pdf?im_id=3167&si_id=54. 11 Ibid.
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communities. Although proximate to these communities, Point Douglas remains one of the most poverish and crime-ridden area in the city. Primary residents include low-income aboriginal residents, with unemployment around 25% as of 1999.12 The primary industries in Point Douglas are primarily manufacturing (25%) and other services (22%) including commercial and retail. c. Description of Data & Analysis This portion of Part two consists of the description of data that have been chosen for the study area, Point Douglas. They have been selected to demonstrate the variation in incomes, ethnic differences, lifestyles and population densities. Data sets will include chronological variation and growth and comparisons to Winnipeg collectively. However, preliminary descriptions of variables are needed to appreciate the succeeding data sets and comparisons. Data analysis followed a quantitative methodological approach. This approach focused on providing insight into how much the variables were affected over the total population, and in the result of analysis to contrast against the City of Winnipeg as a whole. Primary tools of analysis include tables and charts, breaking down the variables into their individual components.

Population: Population shows the amount of residents residing in the region. Population generally is
interdependent on other variables such as ethnicity and dwellings, providing insight into living conditions and how people interact. This variable was chosen because the location of study is by majority low-income households, and therefore provides context for Population Point Percent of by Age Douglas total community 0-19 11,185 29.7% 20-49 15,865 41.2% 50-85+ 11,245 29.9% Totals: 37,630 100%

population density and overall income distribution. Its interesting to note, as stated in the description of the community concerning the migration of residents is the total population change of Point Douglas over a thirty-five year period.

12

Manitoba Votes 2003, Riding: Point Douglas, CBC Winnipeg, 2003. Accessed on June 9 2013. http://www.cbc.ca/manitobavotes2003/riding/029/
th

60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006

Graph A shows the population decline from 1971 to 2006, by 20.2% over a thirty-five year period, indicating outward mobility of Point Douglas. There are two main results of dwellings abandonment or renting out, which is proportionally higher in Point Douglas versus the city as a whole. Because in 1971 the community supported a particular amount of dwellings, but as population had declined and relocated the supply of available housing rose while the demand of lower-income occupants increased as well. The downward filtering effect of this clearly plays a role in the current conditions of Point Douglas, which will be discussed in the variable concerning dwellings.

Ethnicity: This is an important

variable to consider particularly in poorer subdivisions of metropolitan areas. Ethnic background analysis allows for understanding into potential segregation of minority groups and

Other Vis. Community Composition Minorities 5% Aboriginal 33%

Caucasian origin 48%

Filipino 14%

to be weighed against the City of Winnipeg. Point Douglas is predominantly aboriginal at 33% of the population of the area as of 1999 and continues to expand with out-migration of other ethnic groups and in-migration of reserve and rural-based aboriginal residents.13 Filipinos too compose a large proportion of Point Douglas ethnic diversity, consisting of nearly 14% of the communitys

13

Ibid.
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population.14 Neighbourhood segregation and ethnic tensions do play a role in Point Douglas social environment. Aboriginal people in Canadian cities are forced to live in the inner cities because of unemployment, low incomes, and often discrimination. Descendants of northern Europeans usually have the greatest freedom from discrimination because they have the jobs, the means, and therefore the opportunities to live where they choose.15 This explains the higher concentration of aboriginals in Point Douglas 33% of the population to the Winnipeg as a whole, which is 10.2%.16

Education:

Certificate No certificate Certificate* University Total:

Number % Of Community 11,560 39.60% 14,455 49.51% 3,180 10.89% 29,195 100.00%

* Certificates include high school, college, apprenticeships or trade certificates; excludes university degrees. 27% of the total education comes from High School diplomas, under certificates. Table B shows the distribution of highest level of educational certification in Point Douglas residents. 67% of residents have either no certificate or high school as an educational foundation, which limits those in terms of job availability. A low-skilled labour force means low job availability to accommodate the lower-skilled workers and a mismatch of jobs to which can be worked by these residents. The lack of education can greatly influence income levels of households. Therefore education is an important indicator over communities to analyze skill levels and job availability and suitability for residents. If education does not support vocational demand, underemployment, unemployment and hindered household incomes will become more apparent as communities become poverty areas, and more people live below the poverty line.

14

2006 Census, City of Winnipeg Community Area Profiles, Point Douglas Community Area, 2006, http://www.winnipeg.ca/census/2006/Community%20Area/. 15 Leo Driedger, Residential Segregation, The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2012. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/residential-segregation 16 2006 Census, Point Douglas Community Area, 2006.
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Incomes: Point Douglas as previously mentioned, is one of the most poverish regions in the City of
Winnipeg. The community hosts an employment rate of 56% and an unemployment rate of 8.3%, which is 8.5% lower and 3.1% higher respectively when compared to the City of Winnipeg.17 This means that for Point Douglas, the participation rate of eligible residents (aged 15 and over) is lower in the labour force, and are more likely to remain under or unemployed. As discussed in the education variable, the top four sectors of employment require low-skilled workers and thus, provide low incomes for residents. Its not surprising when considering the communities average income is $22,523 and an average family income of $46,668. In comparison, the City as a whole has incomes at $33,457 and $75,664 respectively, a 36% average difference in incomes. The difference of incomes can be explained by in part by the education background of Point Douglas, which fosters lower-skilled jobs which clearly do not pay as much as those requiring higher educational standards.
24% 24% 16% 36% Manufacturing Health care & social assistance Retail food services

Top Employment Sectors

Dwellings: Dwelling tenure in Point Douglas opposes the trend of the City of Winnipeg in terms of
tenure; 57% of dwellings are rented in the neighbourhood while the City has only 36% being rented.18 Dwellings whether for high or low-income residents, do experience physical deterioration and technological obsolescence. However, according to The Cities housing policy of 1999, almost 90% of the major improvement areas in the city for renewal lies in the Point Douglas community.
17 18

Ibid. Planning and Land Use Division, South Point Douglas, Winnipeg Planning, Property & Development Department, April 2008, http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/planning/Secondary_Plans/SouthPointDouglas/SPD_nhbd_ inv.pdf
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Plan Winnipeg designated the community as a Major Improvement Area, which is older areas that have experienced significant decline to the point where housing and neighbourhood infrastructure require complete renewal.19 A large reason why these require renewal is because a majority of the homes in the area were built prior to 1950. Everything from wiring, to appliances to roof integrity to construction quality degrade over time and are not of the same standard as other neighbourhoods of the city. A lot of downward filtering had occurred incurring large amounts of low-income residents into these already technological and structurally obsolete homes. The newly filtered residents unlike the previous owners do not have means to address the obsolescence the home displays. As a result, housing conditions became degraded, over half of the homes in Point Douglas are now considered poor housing, and 80% being fair housing or poorer.20 d. Data Analysis Results & Discussion
Variable Population Population density per km2 Ethnicities Aboriginal Filipino Education Certificate - college, trade, university No certificate Incomes Unemployment rate Average family income Dwellings Owned Rented Average period of construction Average value of dwelling 8,905 6,195 Before 1946 $87,810.00 59.00% 41.00% 169,845 91,240 1965 $161,999.00 65.10% 34.90% 1,470 $40,703.00 8.30% 18,245 $63,023.00 5.20% 10,915 5,120 29.00% 13.60% 64,612 37,373 10.20% 5.90% Point Douglas 37,630 3,459 % of area 100.00% Winnipeg number 633,451 475 % of total 5.94%

17,635 11,560

46.86% 30.72%

395,670 119,020

62.46% 18.79%

19 20

Ibid. Ibid.
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At this point we have discussed the history and social geography of Point Douglas, and the important variables associated to understand the neighbourhoods social geography population, ethnicity, education, income and dwelling. The data set information has been summarized in table C, listing the important data pertaining to each variable. Looking at the data, a few initial things pop out. Population density initially, Point Douglas has approximately 700% higher density per Km2 of land area. Taking density into consideration, the ethnic segregation experienced in Point Douglas in conjunction with the low income for households has a correlation but not direct causation to the higher incidence of crime. Because nearly one in three of the communitys population has no high school diploma and thus has low-skilled jobs to provide low-income provisions, crime escalation can be correlated to higher bouts of crime in the area. Its also important to note the dissatisfaction associated with job selection and circumstantial discomfort of many in the community. While citywide the educational certification rate is 65%, the opportunity of the city as a whole is much higher than that of the Point Douglas community. The correlation can be appreciated by looking at the crime stats of Winnipeg, how the city has the worst murder-rates in the country, mostly centered in the downtown and Point Douglas region. Linda Kozlowski, whose son was murdered by a fourteen-year old teen, pointing out that they go into the system, they come out a harder person and theyre already adults and theyre set in their ways.21 Therefore theres a correlation between education, crime and income levels. Ethnic segregation and tensions too are fueled by such income disparities. As the example provided from the CTV article, many youths associated into gang-related activities; many gangs are ethnic in nature such as Latin Kings, Indian Posse, Zig-Zag gang and so on. Such gangs, big and small, are connected to each other through ethnic background, income levels and education. According to Crimestat Winnipeg, the

21

CTV Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba Leader in Murder Rates: Statistics Canada, December 4th, 2012, http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg-manitoba-lead-in-murder-ratesstatistics-canada-1.1064972
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biggest issues in terms of crime are break-and-enter, non-commercial robberies and a close contender auto theft.22 After analyzing the data sets, it becomes clearer why so many homes are low-income and even poverish. Looking at dwellings, we can see that in Point Douglas a few things stick out: a) Dwelling tenure. The data sets show the variation in the owned-to-rented ratio in Point Douglas, which has 6% less ownership of dwellings compared to Winnipeg. Such lack of home ownership suggests less equity and credit to back up owning a home, indicative of the income levels provided above. The $23,000 differential between incomes backs this up, as such a large discrepancy of capital restricts many of the low-income families from establishing credit and provide additional amenities required of home ownership. b) Period of construction. Most homes in the community have been constructed prior to 1946, while the city has an average construction date of around 1965; a near twenty-year difference assumes many economic considerations that allow for low-income residents to occupy Point Douglas more than other communities. Older homes have a few issues with what they provide technologically and physically. First, technical obsolescence particularly in Point Douglas means the homes appliances and electrical services become irrelevant or undesirable. Many homes may not have proper central cooling or heating in their dwellings, which becomes problematic for families in the summer and winter respectively. Because incomes are lower and budgets are tighter, the reluctance to improve technological amenities is not a top priority, unless living becomes too much to bear without such technologies. Physical deterioration, particularly the rate and severity is apparent in Point Douglas, which is an important characteristic of earlier construction. Structurally, these houses are less resilient to temperature fluctuations, impacting the primarily wood infrastructure. Like technological improvements, deterioration will be addressed once the occupants either have
22

City of Winnipeg, Crimestat City of Winnipeg, Point Douglas Selected by Crime Type, http://www.winnipeg.ca/crimestat/.
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the capital to address such issues, or when the deterioration becomes too much to bear, if addressed at all. Many choose when deterioration becomes too much too bare economically to abandon the dwelling. This too contributes to poverty areas and the degradation of the community. Newer modern homes, not necessarily the newly 2013 constructed homes, but by even 1970s and on, provide better insulation to prevent heat loss; better and central heating and cooling; higher quality construction foundation and technological relevancy such as lighting or large appliances. These attributes are attractive in figurative terms to lowincome home seekers because it reduces the average cost of a dwelling significantly. c) Average cost of dwelling. Point Douglas compared to Winnipeg, has an average cost almost $88,000, just better than half the price average costs across the city. Physical deterioration as mentioned above plays a very critical role in structural integrity, appearance and most importantly the willingness of potential buyers to invest in these homes. Referring to supply and demand economics reveals why this is the case. Price is dependent upon two variables, supply of homes and the demand for them. Physical deterioration, structural and technological obsolescence negatively affect the demand for a dwelling in a market, making the demand curve move to the left, or downwards. At a given price of a home, say $100,000, there is no demand to meet the price of that supply. The only way to get that price is if there are little to no homes available, then that price can be matched; however, this is not the case. What must happen alternatively is to move down the supply curve to where the supply and demand curves meet, at a point called equilibrium. This, put very simply, is why homes in Point Douglas are cheaper. The amenities, physical appearance and functionality and structural integrity devalue homes to a point where they are of of

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nearly half the cost of other homes. The result of this is the demand of a different market, those of low-income, become attracted to these homes. This is why cost of dwellings are closely related to low-income households and thus, become attractive to occupy by such a market. e. Conclusion We have now analyzed the issues surrounding Point Douglas, and the social geography that surrounds the community. It has become apparent how influential the density of the community affects crime rates, closely related to low levels of income. The higher levels of crime show great correlation to low levels of education, particularly the lack of high school certification. Income thus is greatly affected by the low levels of skilled workers, which cannot provide proper income to supplement physical and technological discrepancies with their homes. It is together the communal density, lack of education, low incomes and very cheap housing and renting costs that attract lowincome families. The above linear progression describes the essence of Point Douglas, that has had such a history since the early twentieth century, and continues to be plighted by higher unemployment and crime. It is for these reasons why Point Douglas is in such a poverish state, and has earned their reputation as being one of the most unstable and poor communities in Winnipeg.

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References: City of Winnipeg, Crimestat City of Winnipeg, Point Douglas Selected by Crime Type, http://www.winnipeg.ca/crimestat/. CTV Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba Leader in Murder Rates: Statistics Canada, December 4th, 2012, http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg-manitoba-lead-in-murder-rates-statisticscanada-1.1064972 Community Connections, Point Douglas, Community Resource Network, accessed June 9th 2013, http://pointdouglas.cimnet.ca/cim/dbf/Area%20History.pdf?im_id=3167&si_id=54 Knox, Paul and McCarthy, Linda. Urbanization. Pearson Education Inc. 2005 Leo Driedger, Residential Segregation, The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2012. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/residential-segregation Manitoba Votes 2003, Riding: Point Douglas, CBC Winnipeg, 2003. Accessed on June 9th 2013. http://www.cbc.ca/manitobavotes2003/riding/029/ Planning and Land Use Division, South Point Douglas, Winnipeg Planning, Property & Development Department, April 2008, http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/planning/Secondary_Plans/SouthPointDouglas/SPD_nhbd_ inv.pdf 2006 Census, City of Winnipeg Community Area Profiles, Point Douglas Community Area, 2006, http://www.winnipeg.ca/census/2006/Community%20Area/. .

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