Understanding and Assessing Communities

Communities

Understanding and Assessing Communities

The community studied for the immersion project was based in Riverside, CA, between the University of Riversdale and the downtown area of Riverside. A community can be thought of as any location in which the people have a sense of cohesiveness. The cohesiveness can be a result of a wide variety of different factors such as proximity, shared resources, beliefs, political affiliations, needs or many other factors. The area studied is a walkable community that stretches from a ten mile area from one end of University Blvd. To the other end of University Blvd. Understanding the various aspects that influence community members within a location can be beneficial to social workers because they can relate to the individuals better. By understanding an individual's surroundings, a social worker can be more empathic to the unique challenges people face.

General Description of the Immersion Community

In the ten mile trek from the University of California -- Riverside campus and the downtown area, one will witness a very diverse community. In proximity to the university, you would generally witness college students going about their daily activities. However, as you approach the downtown area, you will see a more diverse population that includes Latinos and African-American families as well as a significant homeless population.

Figure 1 - Google Map Image of the Community Studied

The college are appears to be a safe environment where many people socialize publically. The demographic composition of this group appeared to consist of mostly Asian and Caucasian ethnicities. There are various shopping centers mixed in with student housing. There are also several parks and sporting complexes. The roads are lined with Palm trees and the overall experience seems relaxed and inviting. The campus consists of more than twenty thousand students who attend anyone of several degree programs (UCR, N.d.). The university is also recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the nation. It was founded in 1907 as a research center dedicated to citrus production and has been evolving ever since and is currently going through major expansions (UCR, N.d.).

One the other end of the University Ave the scene is remarkably different. It is estimated that there are over sixty-two hundred people in Riverside County and a significant portion of these individuals congregate in the downtown area (Alvarez, 2011). Many of these individuals come to this area because there are several churches and community centers located here that provide them essential services such as food and shelter. The homeless population has over doubled in the last few years and there have been many encampments which have sprung up in nearby areas such as in Fairmont Park (Rokos, 2012).

Community Structure

The City of Riverside is governed by an elected board of supervisors oversee the governing body of the County, certain special districts, and the Housing Authority. The Board enacts ordinances and resolutions, adopts the annual budget, approves contracts appropriates funds, determines land use zoning for the unincorporated area, appoints certain County officers and members of various boards and commissions (Riverside County, N.d.). There is also a city council that is broken up into different wards. The community studied lies within ward 1 which is under the leadership of Mike Gardner. Mr. Gardner has overseen many projects in this region such as the development of the Hunter park area in 2011 which brought over a thousand jobs to Riverside and is currently working on an Innovation Economy Hub which will help market the area to new high tech and research companies (Riverside, N.d.).

Community Characteristics

The economic environment in the region can be described as bleak and is one of the factors that have contributed to the increase in the homeless population. It is estimated that home prices in the area have fallen fifty five percent since there peak in 2006 (Thompson, 2012). Furthermore, incomes in the area have also fallen faster than in many comparable areas in the country. However, this local community is bolstered to an extent by the University which is estimated to contribute over 1.4 billion dollars annually to the State of California (UCR, N.d.). Furthermore, the school generates over thirteen thousand well-paying jobs that also help support the local community and its businesses. Therefore, there is a great deal of economic inequality in this area ranging from well-paid university jobs and local business owners to the growing homeless population. The homeless population is primarily serviced through churches and community centers who receive both local and federal funding to help the homeless.

Figure 2 - Income Comparison (Thompson, 2012)

Summary and Community