A Look at Brownsville's Entrenched Poverty
The Daily News has an article about Brownsville that uses the recent gang shooting of a mother outside a public school as a jumping-off point for examining the neighborhood’s poverty (half of its residents receive welfare, SSI, or Medicaid and thousands live in the projects) and violence (murders are up 50 percent from 2009). State…
The Daily News has an article about Brownsville that uses the recent gang shooting of a mother outside a public school as a jumping-off point for examining the neighborhood’s poverty (half of its residents receive welfare, SSI, or Medicaid and thousands live in the projects) and violence (murders are up 50 percent from 2009). State Sen. Eric Adams says cuts in state funding are partially to blame for the violence, which means community centers have less to work with. Meanwhile, some nonprofits active in the area are trying to bring about change. The Brownsville Partnership is working to change dietary habits in the neighborhood, where two-thirds of adult residents are obese, but is encountering difficulties: “About 60 bodegas were asked to sell fresh produce, picked from upstate farms: Only three agreed.” Another, the Brownsville Community Justice Center, is modeled after the Red Hook Community Justice Center, and is looking to open a community center offering services such as mentoring to the neighborhood’s low-level criminals. McBrooklyn reports that a group of people marched over the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday carrying coffins to draw attention to the neighborhood’s poverty and concomitant culture of violence.
Tough Times Continue in Brownsville [NY Daily News]
‘Occupy Brownsville’ Marches Over Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall [McBrooklyn]
Photo by Atomische/Tom Giebel
The problem with the projects isn’t the architecture. Many private developments share almost identical architecture as various NYC projects and they command luxury prices – Sty Town, Concord Village to name 2.
Its not cuts in state funding (E. Adams) – violence was always epidemic in Brownsville regardless of ‘state funding.’ And its certainly not a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Its a culture where welfare and teenage single mothers predominate and result in an endless cycle of poverty and violence. I frankly do not have any idea on how to solve it (and neither does anyone else) but you can increase ‘state funding’ all you want and make it rain organic produce from the sky – it wont change the sad reality that the vast majority of children born in Brownsville are doomed from conception.
I believe I said “the vast majority” – which is true – unfortunately it is rare that a Brownsville child can complete H.S. and get some sort of training, higher education or other pathway to success.
I have spent alot of time in an around the 73rd pct and with the people who live there…..you?