Black Hills Observation Report

The school was in session and children were playing on the playground. The Hispanic center was open. People were observed going in and out of the building. One of the parks observed did not seem to be in use. Coit Park was vacant but that could have been due to inclement weather. No doctor offices were seen. A dentist office was located near the school. There was one store in the neighborhood called Oxford Food Center. A children’s clothing boutique is also located close to the school. The surveyor saw a bodega that featured authentic Mexican food.

When performing the windshield survey the weather played a role in what was witnessed. On this particular day the weather was cold and the season is winter which may have made a difference in what was observed. There were not many people on the streets. The children played outside for recess. People walked to their cars in the brisk weather but the overall idea was to not be outside for a long period of time. In the more residential part of the neighborhood many houses had watch dogs tied to houses.

The people who were

I am astonished that a neighborhood in this poor condition exists in Grand Rapids. There was a distinct decline in the surrounding area. The outskirts of Black Hills is bordered by an industrial park and hill that separates the neighborhood from the rest of Kent County. Looking up at the hillside reminded me of Acapulco. The hills had trashed scattered over and houses that were so close in proximity that they were almost on top of each other. The astonishment I felt was “how could Kent County allow a neighborhood to be so rundown.” Another reason for being so taken aback is how secluded the area was. It felt like I was entering a different world. I felt sad because some of the houses did not look livable but still appeared to be occupied. It was surreal that a neighborhood in this bad of shape can exist and I did not even know about