Category: Urbanization

The Effects of Urbanization on Downtown Louisville.
The Effects of Urbanization on Downtown Louisville David Taylor Environmental Science Brown Mackie College Mark Dutrow September 20, 2012 Abstract As our cities become larger, more congested, and more urbanized we are beginning to start seeing some of the long term effects we are making on our urban environment. As we are becoming more aware of our pollution and measures to improve it, we can look back on systems of the past and see where they are negatively affecting our environment. Acid rain is the most noticeable since you can see the visible deterioration, unnatural discoloration, and erosion caused by the acid rain.
Another noticeable problem is the signs of chemicals that have been used to preserve monuments and lubricate other structures. If we don’t do something to correct the mistakes our ancestors made in the development and urbanization of Louisville and the surrounding areas, the next generation will have to spend millions if not billions of dollars to correct these errors. Why is Louisville here? Jefferson County was organized in 1780 and one of the first three counties formed out of the original Kentucky County, which was still part of Virginia at the time (the other two being Fayette and Lincoln).
The county is named for Thomas Jefferson, who was governor of Virginia at the time. Downtown Louisville is the oldest part of the city of Louisville, whose initial development was closely tied to the Ohio River. The largest early fort, Fort Nelson, was built in 1781 near what is today the corner of 7th and Main streets. Many early residents lived nearby after moving out of the forts by the mid-1780s, although little remains from of the earliest (mostly wood) structures. Louisville became a popular stopping point for travelers on the Ohio River.

Because of the falls of the Ohio and the rapids, boats had to stop, unload their cargo, traverse the rapids and then reload to continue their journey. With Louisville being located so close to the falls it grew into a bustling town catering to the travelers by opening several hotels and saloons. (www. hellolouisville. com/, n. d. ) How has development affected the environment in Louisville? People who live in urban areas have very different consumption patterns than residents in rural areas. 10 For example; urban populations consume much more food, energy, and durable goods than rural populations.
With economic development, the difference in consumption declined as the rural populations ate better diets. Urban populations not only consume more food, but they also consume more durable goods. Energy consumption for electricity, transportation, cooking, and heating is much higher in urban areas than in rural areas. For example, urban populations have many more cars than rural populations per capita. Almost all of the cars in the world in the 1930s were in the United States. Today we have a car for every two people in the United States. If that became the norm, in 2050 there would be 5. billion cars in the world, all using energy. (http://www. prb. org/, n. d. ) In the downtown Louisville area, all of the rain runoff includes all of the fluids that have leaked out of the vehicles as well as the chemicals that are washed off of all the buildings. This contamination has caused pH of the Ohio to change which in turn limits the number of species of fish that can survive in the now contaminated water. The manmade structures we have put in the Ohio River are also contributing to this pH change. Steel piers and concrete pillars being the majority of these structures.
How has pollution deteriorated downtown structures? One of the biggest negative affects is the deterioration of the buildings caused by acid rain. Another observation during the fieldtrip was the visible damage caused by chemicals used in joints of buildings as well as leaking from statues that were sealed so they won’t erode. Air pollution damages materials, especially those used in buildings because of their long service life, sometimes of the order of hundreds of years. Damage to other objects tends to be less important: most cars, for instance, are replaced long before damage from air pollution has become significant.
The phenomena of the degradation of buildings are complex due to the numerous factors that intervene. However it is generally recognized that man-made pollutants have greatly increased the degradation rate of buildings. Of particular importance is soiling caused by particles (especially soot) and corrosion or erosion caused by SO2. (arirabl. org, n. d. ) What would downtown look like if Louisville had not been developed? The area would look totally different. The landscape would be serene with rolling hills, thousands of trees, natural flow of the river, and natural flow of creeks feeding into the Ohio River.
The power plant as well as the lock and dam wouldn’t be obstructing the Ohio. The wooded area would be teeming with wildlife and the river would be stocked with several species of fish that don’t occupy it today. Which natural disasters is the downtown area prepared for? Downtown Louisville is prepared for a couple of natural disasters. Some natural disasters are not common to the area such as, hurricane’s, mudslides, volcano’s, and tsunami’s. However, floods, tornado’s, and earthquake’s are common to the Louisville area. The downtown area has prepared for flooding by elevating most all of the buildings to a height above the 1937 flood depth.
There is also a flood wall that has been put into place to keep water from destroying majority of the city. The buildings in the downtown area have also been designed or retro fitted to withstand the wind velocity associated with tornados. However, the downtown area is not prepared for a strong earthquake. Even though Louisville is on the New Madrid Fault the cost associated with making all structures reinforced enough to withstand a strong earthquake is too great. References Urbanization: An Environmental Force to Be Reckoned With – Population Reference Bureau. (n. d. ).
Home – Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved September 19, 2012, from http://www. prb. org/Articles/2004/UrbanizationAnEnvironmentalForcetoBeReckonedWith. aspx Buildings-PollAtmos. pdf. (n. d. ). arirabl. org/. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from arirabl. org/Publications_files/Buildings-PollAtmos. pdf Louisville History – HelloLouisville. com. (n. d. ). Louisville, Kentucky – Louisville City Guide. Retrieved September 19, 2012, from http://www. hellolouisville. com/history. cfm 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 – Original Downtown 2 – River 3 – Falls of the Ohio Falls of the Ohio – 1824 Downtown Louisville – 1830’s

The Effects of Urbanization on Downtown Louisville

Urbanization Narrative Essay.
The Effects of Urbanization on Downtown Louisville David Taylor Environmental Science Brown Mackie College Mark Dutrow September 20, 2012 Abstract As our cities become larger, more congested, and more urbanized we are beginning to start seeing some of the long term effects we are making on our urban environment. As we are becoming more aware of our pollution and measures to improve it, we can look back on systems of the past and see where they are negatively affecting our environment. Acid rain is the most noticeable since you can see the visible deterioration, unnatural discoloration, and erosion caused by the acid rain.
Another noticeable problem is the signs of chemicals that have been used to preserve monuments and lubricate other structures. If we don’t do something to correct the mistakes our ancestors made in the development and urbanization of Louisville and the surrounding areas, the next generation will have to spend millions if not billions of dollars to correct these errors. Why is Louisville here? Jefferson County was organized in 1780 and one of the first three counties formed out of the original Kentucky County, which was still part of Virginia at the time (the other two being Fayette and Lincoln).
The county is named for Thomas Jefferson, who was governor of Virginia at the time. Downtown Louisville is the oldest part of the city of Louisville, whose initial development was closely tied to the Ohio River. The largest early fort, Fort Nelson, was built in 1781 near what is today the corner of 7th and Main streets. Many early residents lived nearby after moving out of the forts by the mid-1780s, although little remains from of the earliest (mostly wood) structures. Louisville became a popular stopping point for travelers on the Ohio River.

Because of the falls of the Ohio and the rapids, boats had to stop, unload their cargo, traverse the rapids and then reload to continue their journey. With Louisville being located so close to the falls it grew into a bustling town catering to the travelers by opening several hotels and saloons. (www. hellolouisville. com/, n. d. ) How has development affected the environment in Louisville? People who live in urban areas have very different consumption patterns than residents in rural areas. 10 For example; urban populations consume much more food, energy, and durable goods than rural populations.
With economic development, the difference in consumption declined as the rural populations ate better diets. Urban populations not only consume more food, but they also consume more durable goods. Energy consumption for electricity, transportation, cooking, and heating is much higher in urban areas than in rural areas. For example, urban populations have many more cars than rural populations per capita. Almost all of the cars in the world in the 1930s were in the United States. Today we have a car for every two people in the United States. If that became the norm, in 2050 there would be 5. billion cars in the world, all using energy. (http://www. prb. org/, n. d. ) In the downtown Louisville area, all of the rain runoff includes all of the fluids that have leaked out of the vehicles as well as the chemicals that are washed off of all the buildings. This contamination has caused pH of the Ohio to change which in turn limits the number of species of fish that can survive in the now contaminated water. The manmade structures we have put in the Ohio River are also contributing to this pH change. Steel piers and concrete pillars being the majority of these structures.
How has pollution deteriorated downtown structures? One of the biggest negative affects is the deterioration of the buildings caused by acid rain. Another observation during the fieldtrip was the visible damage caused by chemicals used in joints of buildings as well as leaking from statues that were sealed so they won’t erode. Air pollution damages materials, especially those used in buildings because of their long service life, sometimes of the order of hundreds of years. Damage to other objects tends to be less important: most cars, for instance, are replaced long before damage from air pollution has become significant.
The phenomena of the degradation of buildings are complex due to the numerous factors that intervene. However it is generally recognized that man-made pollutants have greatly increased the degradation rate of buildings. Of particular importance is soiling caused by particles (especially soot) and corrosion or erosion caused by SO2. (arirabl. org, n. d. ) What would downtown look like if Louisville had not been developed? The area would look totally different. The landscape would be serene with rolling hills, thousands of trees, natural flow of the river, and natural flow of creeks feeding into the Ohio River.
The power plant as well as the lock and dam wouldn’t be obstructing the Ohio. The wooded area would be teeming with wildlife and the river would be stocked with several species of fish that don’t occupy it today. Which natural disasters is the downtown area prepared for? Downtown Louisville is prepared for a couple of natural disasters. Some natural disasters are not common to the area such as, hurricane’s, mudslides, volcano’s, and tsunami’s. However, floods, tornado’s, and earthquake’s are common to the Louisville area. The downtown area has prepared for flooding by elevating most all of the buildings to a height above the 1937 flood depth.
There is also a flood wall that has been put into place to keep water from destroying majority of the city. The buildings in the downtown area have also been designed or retro fitted to withstand the wind velocity associated with tornados. However, the downtown area is not prepared for a strong earthquake. Even though Louisville is on the New Madrid Fault the cost associated with making all structures reinforced enough to withstand a strong earthquake is too great. References Urbanization: An Environmental Force to Be Reckoned With – Population Reference Bureau. (n. d. ).
Home – Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved September 19, 2012, from http://www. prb. org/Articles/2004/UrbanizationAnEnvironmentalForcetoBeReckonedWith. aspx Buildings-PollAtmos. pdf. (n. d. ). arirabl. org/. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from arirabl. org/Publications_files/Buildings-PollAtmos. pdf Louisville History – HelloLouisville. com. (n. d. ). Louisville, Kentucky – Louisville City Guide. Retrieved September 19, 2012, from http://www. hellolouisville. com/history. cfm 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 – Original Downtown 2 – River 3 – Falls of the Ohio Falls of the Ohio – 1824 Downtown Louisville – 1830’s

Urbanization Narrative Essay

Urbanization and Rural Migrants.
Definitions
Urbanisation: The process in which an increasing proportion of the population live in cities/urban areas. Urban growth: Increase in population size and/or physical size of the towns, cities and other larger urban settlements in a country or a region. Process whereby settlements grow in terms of population number and/or physical size Megacity: A giant metropolis with a population of at least 10 million Slums: A residential area that is physically and socially deteriorated and in which satisfactory family life is impossible. Squatters: Shelters with poor structural quality and developed without legal claims to the land and/or permission from the concerned authorities
Trends in urbanisation

General trends:
In 1950, there were two megacities with 10 million or more inhabitants. By 2005, this number has increased to 20 and it is projected that there will be 22 megacities by 2015. Developing countries will have 18 of the 22 megacities in 2015.
LEDCs vs MEDCs:
Since 1950, the most rapid growth in urbanisation has occurred in LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) in South America, Africa and Asia. Between 1950 and 1990, the urban population in LEDCs has doubled. In China, the urban population grew from 192 million to 375 million in 16 years. However, this is not the case in MEDCs, which instead face the phenomenon of counter-urbanisation where people choose to move away from the bustling city to the quieter rural environment.
Positive impacts (Reasons for urbanisation)
Wage and employment differentials
Economic advancements are better in the city for migrants due to higher wages and increased number of working days. For example, In Dehli, rural migrants’ income increase by 150% compared to those in villages. Job opportunities in the city can also be found in the form of employment in informal sectors such as hawkers selling food by the sidewalks. This requires limited capital as money does not have to be spent on renting a workplace or a stall.
The cities provide a greater opportunity for rural migrants to climb the income ladder. The increased wealth will enhance the lives of the migrants and their families as money can be spent on proper food, water, healthcare and even education. If the money is invested well in their children, their families can be brought out of the cycle of poverty, increasing their standard of living in the long run.
Access to Amenities and Services
Due to the close proximity of people in the highly populated cities, it is easier and cheaper to provide amenities that are accessible and affordable to everyone. This is referred to as the economies of scale, hence allowing city dwellers to have better and cheaper access to water and electrical supply. This results in an improvement in their living standards and decreases one’s chance of contracting diseases related to the lack of proper water supply.
For example, water pipes and sewers can be constructed within densely populated areas more efficiently than laying long pipelines connecting houses in more dispersed rural settlements. The poor access to basic infrastructure has a disproportionate effect on rural women as they perform most of the domestic chores and often walk long distances to fetch water. The energy spent on getting water can be better channeled to economic activities in urban areas.
Future Prospects
People are willing to endure short-term difficulties in the hopes of better prospects of economic gain and improved welfare in the longer term, even if only for their children.
Economic growth
Cities are engines of economic growth as they are places where money, services, wealth and manpower are centralized. Cheap labour will attract foreign investors as production cost is low. Through trade and tourism, foreign money will flow into the country, boosting the economy. Urban-based economic activities account for more than 50% of the gross domestic product (GDP) In all countries. For example, Mumbai, the richest city in India, ha the highest GDP of any city in South, West and Central Asia.
Negative impacts (Challenges)
Urban unemployment and urban poverty
There is a huge economic income disparity, leaving a huge gap between the rich and the poor in the cities. This is because the rural migrants lack education and the skills required to get a good job. Hence, the inhabitants of the urban areas have better access to the various industries due to the higher levels of education they received, while rural migrants only earn a meager income. This is made worse by the lack of jobs due to the sudden increase in population and workforce in the city. Many rural migrants turn to the ‘informal sector’ as their source of income, where there is no need for them to pay taxes.
However, this results in a decrease in the government’s income, which can be used to build and improve infrastructure and provide better amenities and services to the people. For example, in Morocco, street vendors are a common sight as these mobile traders do not have to pay rent or municipal tax. However, these informal traders cause small retailers to lose out in the competition and has forced many small businesses in the area to close down.
Traffic congestion
The increased income means an increase in private ownership of cars as a form of luxury instead of taking public transportation. However, this leads to traffic congestions during peak hours due to insufficient roads in the transport network, leading to delays and frustrations. It is estimated that in Bangkok, a car spends an average of 44 days per year stuck in traffic. Apart from being a waste of time, it also causes environmental and noise pollution. This affects the quality of life for urban dwellers.
Environmental degradation
The increase in private car ownership and other human activities result in air pollution and other forms of environmental degradation such as dumping of chemical waste in waterways. More than 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas. This makes water unfit for drinking and also upsets the ecosystem. Fumes from exhaust pipes cause the air to be filled with harmful particles that negatively affect the health of urban dwellers, especially those with respiratory difficulties such as asthma.
This is a prominent problem in Beijing, where the smog in the air is so thick that it is a cause of worry for the citizens. Smoking causes lead pollution in the air, which has adverse effects on other’s health. The air in New Mexico causes lead levels in babies to be so high that it impairs their brain development. This affects the social wellbeing of the citizens.
Housing
Rapid urbanisation has led to the development of squatter settlements and an informal sector to the economy. By 2050, it is estimated that the world’s population will be 9 billion, of which 3.5 million will be living in slums and squatter settlements. There is a huge demand for housing due to the great increase in urban population. This pushes up the price of housing. Poor rural migrants who are unable to afford proper housing are forced to live in slums or squatters.
1. These settlements lack proper sanitation, drainage and disposal systems (dumping ground). The houses are closely packed in a disorderly fashion, and often overcrowded with people. This makes the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis quick and easy, giving rise to a high likelihood of health problems, especially given the unsanitary conditions. 2. There is an inadequate access to clean water and lack of a proper sewage system, allowing water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid to be spread easily. (2 million children are killed yearly by water contaminated by sewage.)
3. There might be a high incidence of fire breakouts as the close proximity of the houses make it easy for the fire to spread. Furthermore, the disorderly arrangement of houses makes it difficult for slum residents to escape easily from the fire. 4. Lack of basic amenities and services such as electricity means the need to use oil lamps and kerosene for lighting. This also increases the chance of a fire. 5. Makeshift shelters are built using low quality building materials such as cardboards, planks, etc. that might be flammable. This encourages a fire breakout, and also means that a fire can cause the residents to lose all their possessions. 6. The lack of a proper drainage system might lead to flooding, especially for slum settlements build on water-retention areas.
Solutions
HOUSING:
1. (Overcrowding) Curb the flow of rural-urban migration to ensure that the government can cope with the pace and provide the necessary infrastructure required a. Improve living conditions in rural areas such that there will not be a need for rural dwellers to move to the city. b. Indonesian migrants to Jakarta are required to obtain residence cards to prove that they have a job and accommodation in the city before permission is granted to them to leave the rural areas. 2. (Slums) Improving living conditions of squatter settlements a. “For a Better Calcutta” in India: The Central Metropolitan Development Authority (CDMA) launched this £250 million programme to make slums more bearable and the city liveable by installing sanitation and sewers, drinking water and streetlights, health care and education. a.i. 150 000 street lighting points provided
a.ii. Provision of 90 litres of water per capita per day. More than 20 000 water tap points and connections have been provided a.iii. Revamp and Renovation of drainage and sewage systems: 45 000 permanent sanitary latrines (1 per 35 people) a.iv. Construction of 600m of paved roads and pathways
a.v. Gardens, parks and playgrounds on 60 sites are under construction.
Provision of subsidized housing and relocation
a. Cingapura project, Sao Paulo, Brazil
a.i. Brazil aims to replace slums with low-rise blocks of flats. They aim to resettle 92 000 families from 243 slum sites a.ii. Residents pay for the house over a p of 20 years at a low interest rate. 4. Self-Help Schemes
a. In Nairobi, Kenya Africa, the World back gives financial support to the squatters. Building lots are provided and laid out with water, drains, roads lighting and occasionally clinics and schools. Squatters are given modest loans for building materials and are expected to build their own homes on prepared sites. 5. With these interventions, slum and squatter dwellers of urban areas are experiencing an improvement in the living environment.
TRAFFIC:
1. Restrictions
a. Curbing vehicle growth by increasing the cost of private car to discourage car ownership. a.i. For example, in SG, potential car owners must pay to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) b. Reducing congestion by limiting the number of cars on the road. b.i. In Singapore, ERP gantries are set up on frequently congested roads to collect additional road tax during peak hours. b.ii. Beijing restricts certain cars with certain numbers from going on the roads on weekdays 2. Encourage the use of public transport by improving and subsidizing public transport to make it accessible and affordable.
Macroconcepts
Urbanisation is an inevitable process for a country on its way to development. No country has achieved high-income status without first urbanizing, and nearly all countries become at least 50% urbanized before fully reaching middle-income status. Urbanization plays an important role in economic, political and cultural development, and also provides better access to education, employment and healthcare, hence improving the social wellbeing of the people.
Even though urbanisation brings about both advantages and disadvantages, many of the urban problems are results of poor management and planning and the absence of coherent urban policies. For example, in Africa, urban areas are economically stagnant or in recession, hence local authorities do not have the money or expertise to provide services such as access to water, housing, education and healthcare. This results in the formation of slums. (70% of Africa’s urban population live in slums) Hence, urbanisation itself is not a problem, and should be encouraged. However, it has to be accompanied with proper planning and regulation.

Urbanization and Rural Migrants

Role of Urbanization in the Aegean.
The Aegean civilizations, the Assyrians, and the Israelites, though in the same hemisphere, were three distinct kingdoms. Each developed into its own kingdom with its own set of rules, beliefs, religion, and political concepts. Ultimately, each had its own culture. Yet, there was something that underlied these three cultures that connected them in a subtle manner. All three of these civilizations underwent urbanization. Though the specific cultures of each civilization developed differently, the role of urbanization affected each in roughly the same way.
During this period of the Late Bronze Age, commerce and communication boomed exponentially. No longer would kingdoms maintain their isolationist beliefs. They had to trade and interact with other cultures in order to maximize opportunity cost and obtain as many foreign goods as possible. This inevitably resulted in shared cultures and assimilated beliefs. Along the Aegean Sea, the Minoans had widespread connections to Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia. Similarly, Mycenaean Greece traded with many civilizations, including its neighbor the Minoans.
The early Greeks were most likely influenced by Minoan architecture and pottery. Its sudden wealth also came from trade with Minoan. In the Assyrian kingdom, they also developed trade centers. They imported goods like metals, fine textiles, dyes, gems, ivory, and silver. Because of trade centers, specialization arose, creating jobs like artisans and merchants. In the Israel kingdom, King Solomon created alliances with the Phoenicians and thus developed a trading partner. Together, the Phoenicians and the Israelites explored the Red Sea to find any hidden treasures.

The creation of urban centers helped facilitate this trade, and thus, expanded the perspectives of these cultures. Through interaction with other civilizations, cultures were shared and ideas, along with goods, were traded. Because of an influx of commerce and communication, a powerful military must also be kept. Urban centers helped control the military in order to facilitate trade. The Minoans and Mycenaeans developed strong seafaring skills and created wooden vessels to help them trade around the Mediterranean.
They exported wine, olive oil, and textiles, and in return imported amber, ivory, and most importantly, metals. In the Assyrian kingdom, there was a superior military organization with professional soldiers. The Assyrians developed iron weapons, dug tunnels, and built mobile towers for archers. Not only did they develop military tactics for conquest, but they also used terror tactics to discourage resistance and rebellion and ultimately maintain control. As for the Israelites, David became the first king and he united the tribes into a monarchy.
These urban centers established stronger royal authority and led to an army in order to expand borders in search of natural resources. Stronger militaries meant stronger civilizations, so urbanization helped strengthen the power of nobility and expand borders. Last but not least, urbanization helped develop societal structures, religious ideals, and art and technology. Unlike other civilizations, Minoans did not have strong, aristocratic leaders. In Mycenaean Greece, an elite class did develop.
Shaft graves, burial sites for the elite, were filled with gold, weapons, and utensils, revealing that the ancient Greeks believed in some form of afterlife. The cities also had fortification walls and palaces filled with paintings from war and daily life. In contrast, the Assyrians used terror to maintain order in society. The king was the center of the Assyrian universe. Everything he did was mandated by the god Ashur. Through government propaganda, royal inscriptions, and ruthless punishments, the king maintained power in the kingdom.
The Library of Ashurbanipal gives insight into official documents and literary texts to help portray the daily life of the elite members of Assyrian society. As for the Israelites, monotheism became the crux of Israelite society. They built temples as sanctuaries in order to link religious and political power. Priests became a wealthy class, thus creating a gap between the urban and the rural, the rich and the poor. In families, there were also gender gaps. Male heirs were critical. While women were respected, they could not own property. As society urbanized, their roles became more and more limited and specialized.
While these little bits and pieces of everyday life in these ancient civilizations may seem insignificant, they are like pieces of an infinitely large puzzle. If we can uncover as many pieces as we can and put them together, we can approximate a picture of what life was like in these ancient civilizations. We can figure out how urbanization was important to the development of these kingdoms, and use these cultural artifacts to uncover what daily life was like. After all, artifacts are the key to our past. Without them, our past would be an elusive enigma.

Role of Urbanization in the Aegean

Urbanization as a Social Problem.
How is urbanization negatively effecting our society The answer to this question is not a simple one. This essay will not only break down the problems of urbanization in the United States, but it will also tell you some of the attempts made to fix the problem and give some solutions as to how it could possibly be solved in the future. Also when answering this question one must understand that urbanization, can not be stopped, but only contained in a manner that will help the United States to function better as a country.
The more densely populated and more heterogeneous a community is, the more accentuated characteristics can be associated with urbanism. Urbanism causes decrease in per capita, and promotes urban violence, political instability, crime and aggressive behavior. Rapid population growth in urban areas also perpetuates poverty. Another major issue being created by this social problem is the breaking of the traditional family structure. Our cities are not working well! Sanitation, safety, transportation, housing, education and even electricity are failing.
These are all responsibilities of the government or it is at least their job to regulate these services deemed to be monopolies. And it is a known fact that monopolies deem toward inefficiency. Functionalist look at our cities as a means to profit. Cities are a place where everybody visits, and therefor vendors can raise their prices and profit more on their products. For example, from my own personal experience, I bought a pack of cigarettes for $3. 00 at my local gas station, and when I visited inner city Orlando, I bought the same brand of cigarettes for $4.0 .

This is just a minor example, and most of the residents in an urban area are in poverty and have trouble affording the $3. 00 pack if they smoke much less adding a dollar to the already ridiculous cost. In the United States, the breaking of the traditional family structure is an issue that has become increasingly noticeable in recent years, particularly in urbanized areas. The traditional, mom and dad, and children are rarely seen in the inner cities any more.
There is a weakened bond of kinship, and declining social family significance as America has transferred industrial, educational and recreational activities to specialized institutions outside of the home. It is depriving families of their most characteristic, historical functions. While individuals pursue their own diverging interests in their educational, vocational, religious and recreational life. With divorce rates rising, delinquency is also becoming more of a problem than before. With single parent families, children lack in the authority department due to the lack of the amount of time their parents have free to raise them.
These specialized institutions often help, but can not replace the role of a child s guardian. As long as the divorce rate continues to increase, delinquency will continue to increase in these areas as well. The density of people reinforces effect of numbers in diversifying people and their activities and increasing the complexity of the social structure. The variations of people give rise to segregation of people by race, religious practices, ethnic heritage, as well as economic and social status. Segregation often creates much tension and prejudice between social groups.
This can cause physical or mental damage to individuals or society, which means that sometimes people may permanently suffer before any action is taken to solve the problem because the delay in action is most often the result of people underestimating the problems. As for racism and segregation, there is not much that can be done to fix these problems. Individuals will always have their own opinions no matter how ignorant, and the only thing we can do is to hope that these problems die out as we desegregate our communities.
People will choose their destination or place of residence according to many different ideals and needs, for example what fits their budget. Political pathology and population growth is closely related because of the population change and this change carries with it a high likelihood of social disruption. Government assumes major responsibility for development attempting to meet rapidly increasing demands for education, housing, agriculture and industrial development, transportation and employment. The government s budget is not distributed equally mainly due to differentiation in areas.
Areas with higher income will have higher income and therefor will obviously have a higher budget to work with. Urban areas are usually lacking in the financial department. Therefor they are not able to repair all the problems in which need to be fixed in these areas, such as sanitation, education and many other categories. America has hired approximately fifty percent more teachers in the last few years than have been hired in the past, but the increase in population keeps the classrooms just as large. The effort does not meet the need; thus the problem remains as strong as ever.
Due to the overpopulation in urban areas and the lack of employment opportunity, the crime rate is also a huge problem in which they are faced with. Also the lack of the traditional family structure and weakened bonds of kinship weaken the moral of the children growing up in the urban areas. These children grow up in poverty and usually look at crime as a quick and easy way out. The problems in urban areas are far more, than can be handled in any short term efforts. We can only hope to contain them, and attempt to make sure that no more problems arise from the already existing ones.

Urbanization as a Social Problem