I have been reviewing some demographic data on the city of San Antonio, Texas and have developed a few thoughts regarding human social location and development; effective city planning for future population growth; the visible impact of education and the removal of opportunity barriers; and the ineffectiveness of the efficiency argument relative to government involvement in housing and urban planning. One very important note to include so as not to provide a misleading assessment; Eighty-eight percent (88%) of the San Antonio, TX population is native U.S. born.
Studying the San Antonio data is the result of internet availability of data from the city website, agency, and the majority Hispanic/Latino population. These consideration factors were in addition to its location; United States immigration and border issues; and Texas history. Analyzing the data reflects interesting facts about the society in general and earnings / wealth specifically. Demographic data identifies population percentage levels in categories by District to include: Race, Gender, Education levels, Income on a per capita basis, and Housing (average home values and average rents). Using these demographic data, correlations were calculated to identify the quality of relationship between the measured data points. Correlation simply explains the level of relative shared movement (variability) among the data from one observation to the next. In this case the observations were organized by municipal political Districts 1-10. However, economic social location within the city is seen between Districts 1-5 and Districts 6-10 even without the use of expanded statistical analysis. Districts 6-10 encompass the Northern and Northwest portions of the city closer to the interstate thoroughfare to Austin, TX.
Just a couple of things to point out regarding the data observations and a general point to be made relative to public policy housing initiatives. Although the data suggests a strong relationship among ethnicity and earnings, the revealing underlying assessment is the need to increase the education levels while removing economic barriers to access capital and markets. The way I think about these adjustments is supported by the levels of integration of the Latino and Afro-Latino culture into the United States cuisine and other societal aspects. The economic impact on the Latino community would be dramatically increased if the business influences were originated and/or owned within the community as would any other US cultural-ethnic community. The future value of establishing economic relations in the rest of the world through shared cultural developments and influences with capital investment would also greatly improve current community economics. The other main point reflects the limits and impacts of forcing government spending efficiencies related to housing initiatives. The effect of such a focus forces economic decisions which concentrate poverty in specific regions, or districts, within most cities and impacts the district economic tax base among other things. The efficiency gained on one part of the development equation is eliminated within the districts due to the high concentrations of poverty leading to other social issues much better elaborated by other social scientist’s work than I can express here [law & order concepts; moral opinions; and costs - economic and social]. Historical policies that required affordable housing within each city district provided for a greater distribution and lower location concentrations of poverty within any one city district. Part of the premise of social programs designed to improve education for children is through a better learning environment creating better individual and family opportunities.
Links:
City of San Antonio, TX
City of San Antonio, TX
