sociology

Wolch, J. (1996). From global to local: the rise of homelessness in Los Angeles during the 1980s. In A. Scott, E. Soja, (Eds.). The City: Los Angeles and urban theory at the end of the twentieth century. Berkeley: University of California Press., 390-425. [36 pages] 

1. According to Wolch, what are the four “restructuring trends” that promoted economic marginalization and the spread of poverty in Los Angeles? [RC] 

2. From Wolch’s perspective, what were the strategies that facilitated the collapse of welfare services in Los Angeles? 

3. According to Wolch, what are the four key factors that help explain the loss of affordable housing in Los Angeles? [RC] 

4. Why does Wolch suggest that the spatial distribution of homeless people in Los Angeles goes against “local wisdom”? 

5. From Wolch’s perspecitive, what is the relationship between the demographics of homeless people and the demographics of the areas their inhabit? 

6. Following Wolch, what is the “dominant response” of cities in relation to homelessness? Deener, A., Erie, S., Kogan, V., & Stuart, F. (2013). Planning Los Angeles: the changing politics of neighborhood and downtown development. In D. Halle and A. Beveridge (Eds.), New York and Los Angeles: The Uncertain Future. New York: Oxford., 385-412. [28 pages] 

7. According to Deener et al., when was the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) established and what was its purpose? [RC] 

8. Following Deener et al., why did the political coalition of the San Fernando Valley want to become independent from Los Angeles county? 

9. From Deener et al.’s perspective, what was the difference between “progressive” and “quality-of-life” interest groups within the Venice Neighborhood Council? [RC} and using drugs in public spaces, graffiti on private property, and ongoing gang violence.” (p. 394) 10. According to Deener et al., why did downtown become one of the leading centers of urban growth in Los Angeles? 

11. According to Deener et al.’s narrative, who were the first inhabitants of Skid Row? [RC] 

12. From Deener et al.’s point of view, in which way the “Silverbook” plan of 1972 and its further implementation represent a “policy of containment” for homeless people in Los Angeles?