Abandoned

We’ve all seen them. Whether in a rural area or in the heart of a depleted urban setting, homes are abandoned. The cause generally is not due to a population boom or bust, but rather a population shift. For the later half of the twentieth century, there was heavy migration into cities. Thus rural areas were littered with homes like the one in the photo.

On the other hand, inner Detroit suffered from abandonment and is still dealing with the effects. Following the auto industry’s decline, residents suffered, and the urban neighborhoods slipped from neglect. Without proper shoring up of institutional services, residents continued to escape the area, seeking more favorable suburban dwellings.

The two most impactful effects on neighborhoods are undoubtedly access to employment and street safety.