My Imaginary Neighborhood

Many people would like to live in a big city, but they don't because they don't want to deal with the high levels of crime. If I designed a neighborhood within Detroit it would be a safe area with plenty of green space and a feeling of camaraderie between the residents.

The main qualities I want to have in my neighborhood are happiness and safety. So when I was coming up with a design plan for the new neighborhood I took a look at some of the happiest countries in the world. Because if I know what makes people in other countries happy hopefully I will be able to increase happiness within my community. Researchers have found that one thing known to increase happiness is strong social ties. So I would be sure to include things that would bring people together. To get the true neighborhood feel most of the town's residential area would be single family homes. There would also be two small luxury condo developments. The town would have an entertainment area with a bowling alley and skating rink as well as a pool and tennis court. These things would also help to keep people happier by improving fitness. I would try to improve overall health by providing a community garden so they can grow fruits and vegetables together. The entertainment and retail area would be located in the center of the city with the residential area surrounding it. Monthly neighborhood parties will be held there so residents can get to know new people in the neighborhood while spending time with old friends. This should help to build social ties and keep crime to a minimum. I would also have to provide some after school activities for children because kids that are kept busy have less time to get into trouble.

By providing a safe area that is somewhat seperate from the city of Detroit while being inside the city limits I hope to attract people from the suburbs to live in my neighborhood. Some suburbanites would like to live in the city, but they don't because of the crime. So I would keep the crime level low by making it a gated neighborhood with only 4 entrances. Each entry point would be guarded by police and dogs trained to detect drugs and there would be at least one officer patroling the neighborhood at all times. Anyone that wants to live in the area would need to sign a list of rules that will be monitored by the home owners association and any home sold must be occupied by the owner. I would not allow renters. There would be very low tolerance of any type of crime. The first time you violate the neighborhood rules, by committing a crime or possessing drugs, you get a warning. The second time you must leave the neighborhood.

My neighborhood would be a place where good people would like to live because everyone will feel safe and appreciated. One of the reasons Detroit is in such bad shape is because they are not willing to take a strong stance on crime. That mistake would not be made in my neighborhood.