craigmcn

Last week, my sister brought to my attention an interesting article about [socio-economically] mixed neighbourhoods.

I had some challenges understanding why “the supposed beneficiaries of social mix, the poor and marginalized, do not often end up as winners” and why “improvements in employment, income, educational outcomes, youth delinquency, and health are not achieved”, which the article didn’t really address.

I also had some really serious issues with the idea “that higher-income newcomers often use their political know-how and influence to fight against services for the poor”. Why would you choose to live in a mixed neighbourhood if you’re not interested in the people who make it mixed? Moreover, how does the municipal political system allow anyone “to fight against services for the poor”?

To me, this all seems to come down to some people feeling somehow more special or better than others because of money, or the ability to own a home, in this case.

If you choose to live somewhere, you choose to appreciate what’s there and make it yours. You don’t make it yours by making it something else altogether. If you want something else altogether, there’s probably already a place like that.