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GR Inner City Job Losses

GRGridGirl

By GRGridGirl
in Grand Rapids

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Another not-so-positive story about GR:

Grand Rapids joins worst job losers; Monday, November 28, 2005

By Stephen Ohlemacher; The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The city of Grand Rapids ranks third in the country when it comes to losing inner-city jobs, according to a study released today......

Although not a great article, that's INNER CITY job numbers, not metro area job numbers.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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The article mentions that about 7600 jobs were lost in the inner city from 1995 - 2003, but doesn't mention whether jobs were gained at that time in the metro area. It may be a result of employers changing their geographical location to outside the city limits.

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dbrok Hamlet

dbrok

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Your POINT being????

-INNER CITY girl

I think what GRDad is saying (correct me if I'm wrong) is the number of inner city jobs lost isn't a broad enough indicator of the job market or economy for the entire metro are. In other words, the entire area may be healthy economically overall, even if some neighborhoods aren't improving.

It's important not to overlook that there are still people who live in the inner city who are unemployed and underemployed, and that issue needs to be addressed. I'm sure that discussion opens a whole another can of worms.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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That's pretty much what I was saying dbrok. And there will ALWAYS be people unemployed and under-employed in any market. That's just the facts of life. But related to identity, let's not go with "Come to GR and just hang out, cause there's no place to work anyway." I think Seattle is going for that one. ;)

Sorry, I'll check my sarcasm at the door on such a touchy subject -_-

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Wow, my first topic split. Can't believe I did it right :)

I didn't want to stop the discussion on an important topic. Here is the study that the Press was taking this from:

http://www.isc.hbs.edu/pdf/ICEF_2005.11.15.pdf

Although it seems disingenuous (and typical) for the Press to cherry pick a stat from ONE of many charts in the report. If you look at the findings, Grand Rapids and even Detroit did not make the "Worst Performing Cities" list according to the researcher:

9C1C6AE0604C11DA96B1A56318F73B1D.jpg

That's all I was saying. It is unfortunate that GR inner city unemployment is around 13%, while the metro is in the 5's.

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torgo Town

torgo

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Wow, my first topic split. Can't believe I did it right :)

I didn't want to stop the discussion on an important topic. Here is the study that the Press was taking this from:

http://www.isc.hbs.edu/pdf/ICEF_2005.11.15.pdf

Although it seems disingenuous (and typical) for the Press to cherry pick a stat from ONE of many charts in the report. If you look at the findings, Grand Rapids and even Detroit did not make the "Worst Performing Cities" list according to the researcher:

That's all I was saying. It is unfortunate that GR inner city unemployment is around 13%, while the metro is in the 5's.

I heard this story on the news too. It mentioned the loss, even while gazillions are spent by the state and federal govt to KEEP jobs in the inner cities. Thus, I wonder, how many more (or less) would inner city GR and other cities have suffered if the govt's hadn't spent all that money? Now THAT would be interesting...

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dbrok Hamlet

dbrok

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I heard this story on the news too. It mentioned the loss, even while gazillions are spent by the state and federal govt to KEEP jobs in the inner cities. Thus, I wonder, how many more (or less) would inner city GR and other cities have suffered if the govt's hadn't spent all that money? Now THAT would be interesting...

I guess it goes to show you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to be fixed. LBJ's 'Great Society' approach to government never quite worked out, no matter how good of an idea it seemed to be on paper.

In reality there have to be some solutions to fighting the inner-city poverty problems. Education is obviously something that needs to be fixed. The Grand Rapids public school system is not performing like it should and I'm certain that's one of the contributors to the loss of jobs. Kids already fall behind from kindergarten, and it's difficult to catch up. Plus, with budget cuts, I'm sure the schools don't have the equipment they need to keep pace from a technological standpoint, including computer sciences and biotech. It would be interesting to see how many doctors and researches that work in Medical Hill are actually from the Grand Rapids public school system, especially in the last 25 or less years.

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torgo Town

torgo

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I guess it goes to show you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to be fixed.

See this is what I wonder. If there was little or no spending, would we have the same problem? Or would it be much worse? I am DEFINITELY not advocating more government spending, just thinking out loud...

And i dont know what the "inner city" is either. Good question gr_urbanist ;)

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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See this is what I wonder. If there was little or no spending, would we have the same problem? Or would it be much worse? I am DEFINITELY not advocating more government spending, just thinking out loud...

And i dont know what the "inner city" is either. Good question gr_urbanist ;)

Hmmm, this is interesting. "Inner City" as defined by the researcher:

Census tracts within the central city of an MSA characterized by:

20% or higher poverty rate

OR

Poverty rate of 1.5 times or more of the surrounding MSA

Median HH income of 1/2 or less than the surrounding MSA

Unemployment rate of 1.5 times or more of the surrounding MSA

Wait a minute..................

Edit: That's like looking for the evidence of Cancer in mice, in a sample of mice you ALREADY know have Cancer :huh:<_<

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torgo Town

torgo

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Hmmm, this is interesting. "Inner City" as defined by the researcher:

Census tracts within the central city of an MSA characterized by:

20% or higher poverty rate

OR

Poverty rate of 1.5 times or more of the surrounding MSA

Median HH income of 1/2 or less than the surrounding MSA

Unemployment rate of 1.5 times or more of the surrounding MSA

Wait a minute..................

Edit: That's like looking for the evidence of Cancer in mice, in a sample of mice you ALREADY know have Cancer :huh:<_<

You have got to be kidding me! <_< So if there is an area in the central city that is doing well, then it doesn't count in the study? What kind of scientific research is that?

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Here is a link to "Target Areas" in the City of Grand Rapids, which I consider "inner city/central city."

Definitely I can see targeting areas of the city that have poverty rates that are high and trying to address issues related to that, such as quality of education, job opportunities and availability of transit to reach "job centers". But this study wreaks of political motivation. Did the AP flush this report out (or even read it) before they published it?

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Sundodger Hamlet

Sundodger

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But related to identity, let's not go with "Come to GR and just hang out, cause there's no place to work anyway." I think Seattle is going for that one. ;)

Huh? More jobs in the city of Seattle than people btw and that isn't going to change with the new Washington Mutual Tower, Safeco consolidating operations in the University District, & the South Lake Union boom.

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torgo Town

torgo

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But, are these tracts central and contiguous? If they are, then that is, indeed, the inner city. While it may be a weighted piece, it's technically not incorrect if this is true.

I believe they are central, but not necessarily contiguous. If they were trying to assess the condition of the "inner cities", then a better way would be to examine every census block within some distance of downtown. If they were looking to examine only the areas that are poverty-stricken, then they should use a term other than "inner city" because I think it is misleading. Using their logic, it is possible to eliminate "inner cities", because apparently all you gotta do is improve the local economy in those areas.

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