Picture 1
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| Location: Frederick Street, Port of Spain. |
Picture 2
Belmont
Picture 3
Arima
Friday, 11 April 2014
Reflection
Housing in cities is a multi-faceted phenomenon. Many persons have adequate access and resources to obtain housing, some have limited resources but may still acquire perhaps informal housing (slums and shanty towns), Hall & Barrett (2012), and some have no resources whatsoever to obtain shelter. Housing options may range from being homeless (Picture 1), from colonial to modern looks (Picture 2), to temporary shelters (Pictures 3). Within cities, adequate and sufficient planning is needed so that it does not become an issue to obtain something so basic.
Picture 1
Picture 2
Belmont
Picture 3
Arima
Picture 1
Picture 2
Belmont
Picture 3
Arima
HDC- Housing Demand Critical...
Port of Spain
This photo is that of the
Housing Development Corporation (HDC). The HDC was established in 2005 with one
of its functions being to provide housing to lower and middle income persons.
Their aim is to provide each person with access to an affordable level of
housing by the year 2020. Thousands of people have benefited from this housing
project thus far. This HDC office is located in the capital city, Port of
Spain, Trinidad, since many people in the city cannot find housing due to
housing prices, land and building regulations, government policies etc, (Hall
and Barrett, 2012), and so people who perhaps encounter problems with obtaining
housing usually go to the HDC and apply for homes.
In my opinion, this photo
illustrates "city life" ideally; an increasing population which leads
to a decreasing land area which further results in a greater demand for
housing.
Reference:
Hall, T., & Heather Barrett. 2012. Urban Geography. USA and Canada: Routledge.
Waugh, D. 2002. An Integrated Approach. Nelson Thornes.
Housed Til the Age of 18...Then What Next?
More and more people are moving into cities and that number is further increased by the rapid rate of natural increase. A large population would result in increased demand for jobs and housing. However, this is not demand is not always met, especially in developing countries like Trinidad and more specifically, in the city of Port of Spain. People are unemployed and even homeless and some cannot even feed themselves. Yet, this does not hinder the natural increase rates. How do people then survive when they have lots of of mouths to feed but have no jobs and therefore no income? What alternative do they then adopt?
The photo above represents the St Dominic's Children's Home which was established in 1871 in Belmont. It is home to approximately 31 children. Usually when one reflects on the term "home" of close family members and perhaps the extended family. However, this home houses children of all types of backgrounds and walks of life that have been abandoned, given up, taken due to acts negligence etc. However, these children's homes provide the opportunity for some of the children there to be placed into a new family. Orphanages are temporary homes. So what happens to the orphans that do not get placed with other families? And what happens after they turn 18?
According to the International Adoption Guide (2011), "Orphanages cannot look after children forever and they usually have a cut off period usually 15 or 16 when the children 'age out' of the system. They are given, if they are lucky, a half way house and some funds and hopefully an educational future. For others, not so fortunate, will find that the doors are opened and they are expected to fend for themselves." Many orphans who do not get adopted face a tough life. While some are fortunate, others who are not may turn to illegal means to support themselves. In my opinion, more should be done to ensure that after leaving the orphanage they are equipped with life skills that could then allow them to find employment and proper housing.
Reference:
International Adoption Guide. 2011. "The Prognosis of Orphans." International Adoption Guide, Accessed April 09.
http://www.internationaladoptionguide.co.uk/before-you-adopt/54/what-happens-to-orphans-when-age-out-orphanage.html
According to the International Adoption Guide (2011), "Orphanages cannot look after children forever and they usually have a cut off period usually 15 or 16 when the children 'age out' of the system. They are given, if they are lucky, a half way house and some funds and hopefully an educational future. For others, not so fortunate, will find that the doors are opened and they are expected to fend for themselves." Many orphans who do not get adopted face a tough life. While some are fortunate, others who are not may turn to illegal means to support themselves. In my opinion, more should be done to ensure that after leaving the orphanage they are equipped with life skills that could then allow them to find employment and proper housing.
Reference:
International Adoption Guide. 2011. "The Prognosis of Orphans." International Adoption Guide, Accessed April 09.
http://www.internationaladoptionguide.co.uk/before-you-adopt/54/what-happens-to-orphans-when-age-out-orphanage.html
Domestic Violence Shelters...
Arima
Both men and women may be victims of domestic violence however, in men, numerous
cases are not reported. Women are more subjected to acts of
domestic violence which often times result in terrible injuries and perhaps
worse. In 2010 there were three reported incidents of women being set afire,
with one of those being fatal. Domestic Violence Shelters help provide victims of domestic violence with a safe place to temporarily stay. In Trinidad, these 'safe havens' are usually police stations where adequate security may be provided.
In my opinion, Domestic Violence Shelters are a good alternative but more should be done to protect these victims of domestic abuse. Staying in a police station does provide security but what happens when the victims leave? These shelters are merely temporary solutions which need to be replaced by permanent ones.
In my opinion, Domestic Violence Shelters are a good alternative but more should be done to protect these victims of domestic abuse. Staying in a police station does provide security but what happens when the victims leave? These shelters are merely temporary solutions which need to be replaced by permanent ones.
Reference:
Guardian Media. 2014. "Domestic Violence Needs Swift Response." Guardian Media, Accessed April 10.
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2011. "A Case For Support." Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, AccessedApril 09.
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2012. "12,106 domestic violence cases filed." Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed April 09.
The "Look Alikes"
Belmont, established by formerly enslaved Africans after emancipation in 1838, (Discover Trinidad and Tobago 2013), is considered to be one of Trinidad and Tobago's oldest suburb. This community is famous for its rich culture and heritage as it is well known for its creativity as it relates to Carnival. Belmont is a fairly large community with an equally fairly large population since many of the freed slaves constructed their homes here. The streets are quite narrow, numerous and short which contribute to the social and economic life of a neighbourhood (Urban Space Gallery 2011). The Trinidad Theatre Workshop is also based in this community. One of the residents gave an insight on her experience of living in Belmont. It was evident that the community needed wider roads, more facilities for young persons and greater security. Also, improved drainage would result in less serious flooding in the area. It was also indicated that the area, being situated near the capital city made daily activities a lot easier to be completed. Belmont is home to a variety of buildings of different ages ranging from the colonial type look to the more modern look. There is also an orphanage in the area as well as numerous schools, several churches along with various small businesses which provides the fullness of everyday urban existence and allows streets to thrive, (Urban Space Gallery 2011).
The photo above represents the typical look of housing within Belmont. The houses back then looked similar because after emancipation, there was a limited supply of resources like architecture, services and technology which caused all houses to be built with a lack of planning and order, yet ironically, the houses looked similar and so added a sense of order.
In my opinion, this photo allows for a reminder of culture and heritage. It allows me to remember where the community once stood (colonialism) since the houses also looks a bit colonial in architecture. Also, since the houses are closely built to each other, it perhaps add sense of unity among the residents. "Propinquity leads to visual contact between neighbors and is likely to produce face-to-face social contact. This is only true if the distance between neighbors is small enough to encourage one or the other to transform visual contact into a social one." And thus, community life is encouraged.
Reference:
Fried. M., & Peggy Gleicher. 1976. Some Sources of Residential Satisfaction in an Urban Slum.
Urban Space Gallery. 2011. "Jane Jacobs: Urban Ideas." Urban Space Gallery, Accessed April 08.
Housing Types: Modern vs Colonial
The photo above represents a community in the Belmont area in which Jane Jacobs would refer to as a healthy neighborhood. The community would be viewed as healthy due to the various types and ages of houses that exist there. The photo illustrates a two houses with different architecture and of different ages. The house on the right represents that of a more colonial/historic type architecture where there was perhaps technology and other resources were limited. On the left, this house represents a more modern look. Jane Jacobs principles of healthy neighbors insisted that a neighborhood like this would support a variety of uses and it would mean that different people with different backgrounds would also live there. According to Urban Space Gallery (2011), "A mix of old and new spaces allowed small businesses to coexist with larger ones and populated a neighbourhood with people of different incomes." And so this neighborhood in Belmont perhaps had people with varying incomes.
A neighborhood with solely modern type looking houses would probably be home to only those with a higher socio-economic status while a neighborhood with only historic looking houses like the house on the right would probably be home to those with a lower socio-economic status. "A neighbourhood comprised entirely of fancy new buildings would be accessible only to those who could afford to bear the costs of new construction, thus limiting the diversity of people who could live there," Urban Space gallery (2011).
In my opinion, a mix of different types of houses is ideal since it may also contribute to the mixing of people that live there and perhaps decrease the physical disparity between them. The modern type house is important since it would represent some type of development and forward movement of the community. Likewise, the colonial type houses are important since it allows the residents to be reminded of their culture and where they came from.
Think about your neighborhood. Are the houses of different ages and types or are they similar in look, whether modern or colonial? How does this add an identity to your neighbor? How does it affect you?
Reference:
Urban Space Gallery. 2011. "Jane Jacobs: Urban Ideas." Urban Space Gallery, Accessed April 08.
Gentrification: Make Way for the Upper Middle Class
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|
One Woodbrook Apartment
One Woodbrook place was established in 2008. This high rise apartment complex consists of three towers in which there are 23 storeys in one tower, 18 storeys in another and 16 storeys in the third tower. According to ZFBHOMES there are approximately 419 units in this development. Apartments are very common within cities. The increasing rate of the urban population increases the demand for housing. However, although there is an increase in the urban population, there is a decrease in land availability.
In order to accommodate an increasing urban population, high rise apartments and housing plans were put in place. This was designed to meet the demands of housing, especially in cities. This gentrification process, defined by Lyons (1996) as "the displacement or replacement of a low ranking socio-economic group by a higher status group in the inner city, involving the renovations of previously downgraded buildings for residential use and occurring unevenly, affecting some neighborhoods but not others," have indeed benefited the middle class/middle upper class since the apartment complex also house a movie theatre (IMAX) as well as a supermarket (TruValu).
This photo was taken because in my opinion it ideally describes urbanisation; tall buildings and a multitude of people. It also indicates gentrification due to the upper middle class taste. These high rise apartment buildings seem idealistic, once constructed to building safety codes as they maximise the use of available land to house persons that may otherwise find it difficult to find housing due to competition as a result of the imbalance between the demand for and supply of housing, Hall and Barrett (2012). Reference: Hall, T., & Heather Barrett. 2012. Urban Geography. USA and Canada: Routledge. ZFBHOMES. 2014. "Trinidad and Tobago Real Estate Services: One Woodbrook Place." ZFBHOMES, Accessed March 31. http://www.zfbhomes.com/Property/Woodbrook/1096561-One-Woodbrook-Place-Unit-23-Floor-Woodbrook-ZFB+HCL+23. |
Working From Home...
Hall and Barrett (2012) indicate that a major problem that cities face is that not all the people who want a home have access to one. This could be as a result of housing prices, government policies or even the mismatch between the demand for and the supply of housing. One alternative that many persons have adapted is living upstairs or within the same building that they operate their business.
This picture was taken in Belmont and indicates a business on the ground floor while the owners occupy the top floor. This is the perfect example of convenience. Due to the the large population which results in traffic congestion throughout the city, persons that own a business and live within the same building or even perhaps a nearby building do not have to experience the hustle and bustle of going to and from work. According to Fishman (2014), "People that adapt such housing arrangements have increased flexibility over their daily schedule."
In my opinion, this type of housing arrangement is not only convenient but very idealistic. This picture also illustrates the maximum use of space since there is the issue of decreasing land area as the population continues to expand, Boone and Modarres (2009). Also, this allows for ease of residential mobility if they do decide to change their dwellings. Persons that have/plan on having their own businesses should consider this type of housing plan if they otherwise encounter problems in finding a place to stay.
Reference:
Boone, C., & Ali Modarres. 2009. City and Environment. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Fishman, S. 2014. Working for Yourself: Law and Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers and Consultants. USA: California.
Hall, T., & Heather Barrett. 2012. Urban Geography. USA and Canada: Routledge.
Homes for the Elderly...
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| Arima |
According to Index Mundi (2013), the elderly dependency ratio in Trinidad and Tobago account for about 12.9% of the total population which means that there are over 170,000 elderly persons living in this country. Sometimes, taking care of the elderly may be a bit difficult, especially for persons with no knowledge on how to care for them. Some people then make the decision to place an elderly family member in a geriatric home where proper care can be administered to them. Although placing the old in an elderly home may mean appropriate care for them, this is not always the case. As indicated by the Guardian Media as of 2012, "Of the 131 homes for the elderly in Trinidad and Tobago, 85 are functioning and there is a need for greater capacity to manage the needs of the growing elder population." However, some elderly persons are still simply abandoned by their families wilfully as indicated by the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian newspapers (2012).
Brink (1998) therefore proposes policies that should monitor services and care for the elderly which focuses on "Continuity, in order to avoid severe changes and undesirable conditions for the elderly, self-determination, so that the elderly have real choices for influencing their own lives and utilisation of the elderly person's own resources in accordance to their wishes." The elderly needs a variety of conditions to sustain them. The Trinidad and Tobago Newsday newspapers (2010) indicated that, "Elderly persons need a proper home, financial assistance, treatment for mental health and medical issues related to ageing such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, which would often lead to the need for nursing care. And being old does not mean that they do not need to socialise."
The photo above illustrates an elderly home (Rigsby Pius Charles: Home for the Aged) within the city of Arima, Trinidad. There mission statement is to "Offer friendship and support to the poor to help people attain self sufficiency and to identify structural causes of social injustice within society and to work for their elimination."
In my opinion, I am against the concept of old age homes. I think the elderly should not be isolated from the family to be out into another institution that they are unfamiliar with. Placing the elderly in elderly homes in addition results in the lost of knowledge being passed on to younger generations. The same way they once were the care givers, they should receive that same care, at home.
Reference:
- Brink, Satya. 1998. Housing Older People: An International Perspective. New Jersey: State University.
- Guardian Media. 2012. "Abandoning the Elderly." Guardian Media, Accessed Accessed March 28. http://guardian.co.tt/editorial/2012-06-04/abandoning-elderly.
- Index Mundi. 2013. "Trinidad and Tobago Demographics Profile." Index Mundi, Accesses March 28. http://www.indexmundi.com/trinidad_and_tobago/demographics_profile.html.
- Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2010. "The Burden of Old Age: Abandonment, Abuse and Neglect." Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Accessed March 28. http://www.newsday.co.tt/sunday_special_report/0,127042.html.
Monday, 10 February 2014
Offer me a house...and then a job
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| Location: Frederick Street, Port of Spain. |
This photo was taken on Frederick Street, Port of Spain. It portrays a homeless man asleep on the sidewalk as pedestrians go about their daily activities. Street dwellers are prevalent within cities and their numbers seem to be increasing annually. An important factor that has contributed to this issue is the increase in population of cities because of migration from rural areas to the cities and natural increase. Waugh (2002) indicated that most authorities have been unsuccessful in providing adequate shelter and services for this rapidly growing population and so many poor persons have to fend for themselves and survive via their own efforts. He goes on to say that some are faced with the alternative of sleeping on pavements or in public spaces. This coincides with the work of Hall and Barret (2012) as they relate this issue of homelessness to the mismatch between the demands for and supply of housing along with people's inability to afford housing.
I took this photo because I think it exhibits people's true attitude towards the homeless; indifferent. In my opinion, too many of us are unaware and unconcerned for the homeless. Street dwellers seem to have become an expected parameter of city life. Some of us walk city streets and pass these homeless people everyday without thinking twice about their circumstances. Street dwellers have become such an integrated part of city life that it does not seem to bother some of us to see a person sleeping on the streets. According to Catholic News, "The rapidly rising vagrant population is now an accepted part of our environment." This strikes me as extremely disheartening, distressing, disgusting and dissatisfactory. It seems as though only if the leaders of the world visit this country then there would be initiatives to evacuate these homeless people from the streets like the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) this country hosted in 2009. More should be done on a regular basis like implementing and maintaining rehabilitation centres and measures should be put in place to prevent more persons from becoming homeless.
Reference:
Hall, T., & Heather Barrett. 2012. Urban Geography. USA and Canada: Routledge.
Waugh, D. 2002. An Integrated Approach. Nelson Thornes.
Reference:
Hall, T., & Heather Barrett. 2012. Urban Geography. USA and Canada: Routledge.
Waugh, D. 2002. An Integrated Approach. Nelson Thornes.
Friday, 7 February 2014
Introduction
Many people move into cities with the hopes and expectations of a better life as it relates to greater job opportunities, better schooling and health services and even recreation. Some of these expectations are met by some while others are faced with the disappointment, yet the reality of poor quality housing or perhaps worse. Hall and Barrett (2012) expalin that this issue of inadequate or low quality housing is due to the mismatch between the demand for and the supply of housing because of a rapidly increasing population within cities. Housing in cities are as diverse as the people living in them.
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