by Pedro Vazquez

Created on: August 31, 2009   Last Updated: September 01, 2009

Growing up in Camden City New Jersey, I have noticed how stressful living conditions are in my neighborhoods. This will make people's decision to move to our neighborhoods harder. How can distressed cities find a way to make their city safer and welcoming to others? Well, I have come up with several different ways to help those inner-city neighborhoods be more welcoming to everyone.

The first thing that might help is cleaning up the run down homes that fill our city blocks for miles. In many streets many streets there are burnt houses, trash, and harmful conditions everywhere. I have seen houses left untouched after all types of fires. How did we let this happen? People tend to grow accustomed to that like it wasn't anything to worry about. I figure if the government doesn't care then why should anyone else.

Then this goes on for years so the living conditions just get worse and worse. It takes for the houses to fall down for anyone to do anything about it but even then, nothing is done. This has to change. This brings in more problems after a while like rodents and diseases that can grow to destroy the neighborhoods even more and will destroy any chance that the neighborhood has to fix it self up. I think that the city should make it an issue to bored all these houses up and slowly start repairing them and renting them out so with that money they can fix up more houses. Trash is another thing that needs improving in our neighborhoods to make a difference.

Some people see trash and just add to it thinking some one else will pick it up but that is rarely the issue. I think putting more trash bins will do the trick. In a lot of neighborhoods trash bins are not around so people feel like they can throw trash anywhere. After the bins are placed, trash trucks should be informed to stop at the spots that the bins are. If not then there should be other means to pick up the trash. Another way to help is to track down the ones that are making the mess and locking them up and giving them community service to help clean up the city. All these things I think this will help people open their eyes and see the potential that our city has to offer. Conditions will improve and make visitors feel welcomed.

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