Introduction
The United States remains one of the most racially diverse countries in the world today. However, this reality could help shed more information about the challenges and obstacles minority populations encounter in their respective communities. In Chicago, different communities are associated with various social, political, cultural, and economic attributes that define people’s life experiences. Inequality is experienced at a very low level in Lake View Park due to the historical policies, trends, and practices that have led increased opportunities for most of the residents.
Social and Economic Factors
Lake View Park presents a unique community with progressive features and attributes that make it attractive to more people. Several forces have worked significantly within the past seven decades to shape the experiences and outcomes of most of the people. First, income rate in Lake View has remained steady at around 105,458 US dollars while the average for Chicago is around 69,000 US dollars (Niche, 2022). The available data goes further to indicate that over 60 percent of the households in the community have an income level of 75,000 US dollars or higher (Niche, 2022). Higher income levels make it possible for more residents to lead better, high-quality, and contented lives while helping minimize cases of inequality.
In terms of household size, Lake View presents positive figures in comparison with those of Chicago. For instance, majority of the households appear to have 1 person at 47.9 percent and 2 people at 33.8 percent (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). The average for Chicago is 37.5 for 1 person and 29.8 for two people. More households have 3 or more people in Chicago at around 29.6 percent (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). When it comes to house ownership, the latest report indicates that around 92.1 percent of housing units remain occupied in Lake View. Around 62.6 of such houses are rented while 37.4 remain owned. The averages for Chicago City include 54.7 for rented and 45.3 percent for owned (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). The level of vacant units in the community is lower than Chicago’s average at 7.9 percent (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). These attributes support the argument that Lake View is a favorable community for more people to live in.
In terms of politics, the people of the region appear to remain liberal, thereby being able to select leaders based on their qualities and willingness to address their changing needs. Education remains a common feature for learning more about communities, their needs, and achievements. In Lake View Park, majority of the citizens appear to have a Bachelor’s degree at 48.3 percent and a graduate degree at 34.3 percent (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). For Chicago city, only 24 percent and 17.1 percent have a Bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree respectively (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). These figures show conclusively that more people in the selected community have managed to access or acquire higher education.
In Lake View Park, residents are able to access most of the available medical facilities to get the much-needed medical services. Such institutions are located in nearby locations while providing personalized services. The region has a better access to healthcare support in comparison with the national and Chicago averages. Similarly, the community’s latest statistics reveal that around 96.5 percent of the people living in Lake View are employed (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). This means that only 3.5 percent of the population is currently unemployed and those not in labor force remain at 16.2 percent (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). The statistics for the wider Chicago city indicate that around 8.1 percent remained unemployed and 32.8 not included in the region’s labor force (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). The consideration of these parameters could help shed more light regarding the social and economic aspects attributed to the studied community.
In Lake View Park, it is evident that the available data differs significantly from the information gained from the wider Chicago City. For example, the level of vacant or unoccupied houses remains lower in this community. Most of the people living in the region are 28-40 years of age, an indication that they are younger than the city’s average (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2022). Additionally, the community is associated with reduced unemployment if compared with Chicago’s overall average. Based on these attributes, it becomes quite clear that more people prefer to live in the community due to the positive parameters that promote equality and take more people closer to their goals.
Historical Policies
From the mid-1940s, different cities and regions in the United States relied on demarcations that would result in the idea of redlining. These practices led to racist sentiments in the country, thereby ensuring that housing policies and urban planning processes segregated different communities, such as Latinos and African Americans. The end result was that most of the people would be confined to specific regions based on their racial backgrounds (Coates, 2014). Based on this approach, it would be observed that Lake View emerged as a neighborhood that was supporting or promoting the welfare of white majority in Chicago.
In the subsequent years, most of the efforts were implemented in such a way that certain minority communities remained secluded in this high-end neighborhood. It would only be in the recent past when more groups have found themselves in living in different parts of this locality (Bungalow Team, 2022). This trend reduced chances of blockbusting in Lake View, thereby explaining why the prices for housing units have remained higher in response to the increasing level of personal income. Additionally, the 1960s would be characterized by the process of white flight whereby many majority whites began to disperse and consider the importance of occupying regions characterized by other groups. Lake View would benefit from this demographic process, thereby becoming racially diverse despite having more whites.
Because of these trends, Lake View Park has become one of the most successful and best communities to consider while in Chicago. The relevant institutions and agencies have been involved to address the needs of most of the people. The reducing level of racial disparities has led to higher household incomes, home occupancy, and access to medical services (Bungalow Team, 2022). These attributes have made it possible for economic development to be promoted in all parts of the community. Such measures have helped improve the overall living conditions for most of the people in this region.
The features observed in Lake View Park reveal that low levels of disparity of inequality are evident in this community. With a majority white community in this neighborhood and a small household characterized by 1 or 2 people, it becomes quite clear that it has a positive economic performance. The presence of more young people living in this neighborhood with competitive salaries could explain why they lead high-quality lives (Franklin County Fiscal Court, 2022). Consequently, the number of people in permanent employment has continued to rise. Similarly, the people are able to rely on most of the available resources to travel from one place to another. The overall level of access to medical services remains high in this community in comparison with the one for the city.
The historical policies and trends recorded in this neighborhood have led to numerous opportunities to most of the citizens. The community has gone further to record a crime rate of less than one percent (Olson, 2022). This attribute or observation indicates that majority of the people are capable of pursuing their goals and engaging in a wide range of economic activities. The political systems and affiliations recorded in Lake View Park have led to progressive opportunities, thereby helping transform the overall experiences and outcomes of most of the people. The reduced number of people belonging to minority groups, such as African Americans and Latinos, could help explain why social challenges are not common in this community. Additionally, over 82 percent of the residents living in Lake View acknowledge that it presents a positive sense of community (Niche, 2022). With the reduced levels of crime and insecurities, it becomes quite clear that the issues of racial inequalities remain lower in comparison with the average for the wider Chicago City.
Conclusion
The completed discussion has identified Lake View Park as a progressive community whose statistics differ significantly from those of Chicago City. The presence of predominant white majority could be attributed to historical processes of redlining and white flight, the presence of proper political systems, and focus on economic development. More people have found it easier to get sustainable jobs, access medical services, and transform their life experiences. Such attributes have helped reduce the overall levels of crime and inequality in Lake View Park, thereby taking more people closer to their economic aims.
References
Bungalow Team. (2022). The 9 best neighborhoods to live in Chicago in 2022. Bungalow. Web.
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. (2022). Lake View: Community data snapshot: Chicago community area series. Web.
Coates, T. (2014). The case for reparations. The Atlantic. Web.
Franklin County Fiscal Court. (2022). Lake View Park master plan. Web.
Niche. (2022). Lake View residents. Web.
Olson, J. (2022). Living in Lake View Chicago. Federal Companies. Web.