city problems essay

This story originally appeared in Next City on 9th February, 2020. Sign up for Next City's global sustainability newsletter, Urban Planet .

Two years ago, Maimunah Mohd Sharif was plucked from her perch as mayor of Penang Island, Malaysia, to become the Executive Director of UN-Habitat. From managing a scenic municipality of 700,000 home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the historic city of George Town — she was thrust into the limelight of overseeing a sprawling portfolio of projects around the world. From helping war-torn Kabul rebuild its parks to ensuring African cities can weather natural disasters to planning new types of refugee settlements that can evolve into cities, UN-Habitat’s work on the ground helps support urban life in some of the world’s most disadvantaged places.

Next City sat down with Sharif to find out what she has learned in her first two years on the job. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What are the top issues facing cities in this new decade and how do they differ from the urban priorities of the 2010s? The climate emergency, inequality and forced migration. There was always a lot of concern about climate change — flooding, landslides. Now what we have is a climate crisis, or a climate emergency. This is one of the areas that will affect cities more than anywhere else, because by 2050, around two-thirds of people will live in the cities. The most marginalized will be poor people living in coastal areas affected by this climate crisis.

Second, there are inequalities, not only inequalities within countries, but also between regions, between countries, and between continents. These inequalities cause people to migrate, because people … see the greener pasture somewhere else. Sometimes they are forced to migrate, like climate refugees, but other times they are forced to move to change their quality of life. They believe that in moving from one place to another place, they will get a better job.

Do you think that cities are weathering the migration crisis well? To a certain extent, cities have already taken action to integrate migrants into the host community. For example, Kalobeyei is a new type of refugee settlement in northern Kenya’s Turkana area. We innovated with the Turkana governors and worked together with the UN High Commission for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration to handle the influx of refugees into northern Kenya. We provided expertise on how to do the urban planning. I am hopeful because the governor is going to give a piece of land for us to plan in such a way that the refugees are integrated into the area.

This type of movement to integrate is happening because there has been a shift to looking at the migrant as a key to economic growth: migrants create employment. The role of mayors, local government, and local communities is very important to shift from the migrant as a negative to the migrant as a positive. Right now there is a backlash because of the volume. The volume is too big sometimes. The cities or the region cannot cope. They need help from international organizations and donors, and the local government needs help from the national government.

What concerns facing cities have you made into your signature issues thus far? During World Habitat Day in October 2018, we launched the Waste Wise Cities Campaign , because my experience is that people are talking about waste management. It can be solid. It can be liquid. It can even be air pollution. Now we [are working] together with central and local government to create cleaner cities.

How successful has UN-Habitat been in promoting urban resilience? I went to Beira, Mozambique, one month after Cyclone Idai hit in March 2019. I met the Prime Minister, the Minister of Housing and the Minister of Education. They asked me, “Executive Director, can we get more schools built according to your guidelines?” I responded, “I’m new. What do you mean, Minister?” They said, “Come, I’ll show you.” The rest of the buildings were all collapsed, except the school built using our design . It was still standing.

Public space has been a priority for UN-Habitat for many years. What public space initiatives have been most promising? I went to Afghanistan, which has big challenges in peace and security, to see UN-Habitat’s Clean and Green Cities Programme to build public spaces. I officiated the opening of a park in Kabul. It’s a very big space in between high-rise affordable housing. Before, it was a rubbish dump site. And together with the government, donors, and the community, we created that park. At the inauguration, one girl ran down to hug and kiss me. She said that she was very happy because now after school she can come back and do her homework and meet her friends.

President Ashraf Ghani and his ministers have told me, “Please do more of these public spaces. Please help us to improve our planning, lift up our economic growth, and bring people together.”

Millions of people around the world lack formal title to their homes. What can be done? In Afghanistan, we are giving thousands of land certificates to the people through our Global Land Tool Network. Importantly, both the name of the husband and the name of the wife will be on the property deed. If the husband has two wives, then both wives’ names will be there. That is gender fairness.

Gregory Scruggs is Next City’s special correspondent covering World Urban Forum 10.

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Big City Life: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

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Introduction

Disadvantages.

Historically, big cities were always centers of commerce and economic growth, offering greater security and job opportunities. To this day, leaving the desperation of the countryside for the success of a huge metropolis is a popular trope in culture and media. Although it is common to romanticize the lifestyle of big city dwellers, living in a large urban area comes at a high cost. Metropolitan residents do indeed enjoy a tremendous amount of career and quality of life advantages; however, it is not a secret that living in big cities is often associated with a lack of meaningful interpersonal interactions.

On the one hand, big city life offers excellent opportunities for economic growth. According to Loschiavo (2021), “urban concentration enhances productivity, which, in turn, spurs national economic growth” (p. 5). Due to their sheer massiveness, big metropolitan areas provide their inhabitants with a greater number of open vacancies and increased competitive salaries. In addition, dwellers of such cities benefit from easy access to various quality-of-life services, such as different specialty stores, pharmacies, hospitals, restaurants, and entertainment options. Massive city residents enjoy the best medical service and numerous means of mass transportation.

On the other hand, big city dwellers suffer from a lack of meaningful interpersonal relationships. Loschiavo (2021) claims that “big-city dwellers are exposed to unceasing external contacts with numbers of persons that are nevertheless impersonal and transitory” (p. 10). According to his research, people in larger cities tend to create relationships to meet their needs rather than form meaningful mutual connections. Moreover, a competitive environment in areas of large economic growth contributes to the dissolution of cooperation and thus leads to increased residents’ unhappiness.

In conclusion, life in a big city has advantages and disadvantages. Large urban areas offer better job opportunities and easy access to the best possible medicine, transport, and leisure. However, the competitive and transitory nature of metropolises contributes to the decadence of cooperation and interpersonal relationships. Although big cities offer numerous career-related opportunities, those aspiring to move there must be prepared for lack of satisfaction in their personal life.

Loschiavo, D. (2021). Big-city life (dis) satisfaction? The effect of urban living on subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 192 , 740-764.

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14.3 Problems of Urban Life

Learning objectives.

• Discuss any three problems of urban life.
• Provide an example of a problem that specifically arises from the fact that cities consist, by definition, of large numbers of people living in a relatively small space.

Life in US cities today is certainly complex. On the one hand, many US cities are vibrant places, filled with museums and other cultural attractions, nightclubs, theaters, and restaurants and populated by people from many walks of life and from varied racial and ethnic and national backgrounds. Many college graduates flock to cities, not only for their employment opportunities but also for their many activities and the sheer excitement of living in a metropolis.

On the other hand, many US cities are also filled with abject poverty, filthy and dilapidated housing, high crime rates, traffic gridlock, and dirty air. Many Americans would live nowhere but a city, and many would live anywhere but a city. Cities arouse strong opinions, pro and con, because there are many things both to like and to dislike about cities.

By definition, cities consist of very large numbers of people living in a relatively small amount of space. Some of these people have a good deal of money, but many people, and in some cities most people, have very little money. Cities must provide many kinds of services for all their residents, and certain additional services for their poorer residents. These basic facts of city life make for common sets of problems affecting cities throughout the nation, albeit to varying degrees, with some cities less able than others to address these problems. This section examines several of these problems.

Fiscal Problems

One evident problem is fiscal : Cities typically have serious difficulties in paying for basic services such as policing, public education, trash removal, street maintenance, and snow removal (at least in cold climates), and in providing certain services for their residents who are poor or disabled or who have other conditions. The fiscal difficulties that cities routinely face became even more serious with the onset of the nation’s deep recession in late 2007, as the term fiscal crisis was used again and again to describe the harsh financial realities that cities continued to face even after the recession officially ended in mid-2009 (McNichol, 2009).

In early 2012, almost three years after the United States officially emerged from the recession, this fiscal crisis persisted. The mayor of Syracuse, New York, announced that her city faced a budget deficit of $16 million and called its fiscal problems “staggering” (Knauss, 2012). Mayors in Rhode Island told their governor that their cities need fiscal aid from the state to prevent them from having to declare bankruptcy. One of the mayors said, “We all have the same issues. Something has to be done this year. We cannot have a study commission. We cannot say ‘we’ll wait until 2013 or 2014.’ This is do or die” (Klepper, 2012). Detroit, Michigan, was in danger of running out of money altogether and being taken over by its state government. The member of the US House of Representatives who represents Detroit said he was seeking aid from the federal government: “Bottom line, I’m asking for federal aid to avoid massive layoffs, especially for our public safety workers. That’s what we actually need to attract businesses here who create jobs. We need safe streets and we need good schools” (Oosting, 2012).

In response to financial problems in these and other cities across the nation, the US Conference of Mayors urged Congress in early 2012 to provide several kinds of aid to cities, including low-interest loans for local rail and road projects and funding for housing and job training for low-income residents (United States Conference of Mayors, 2012).

Applying Social Research

Urban Neighborhoods and Poor Health

Social scientists have long thought that poor urban neighborhoods pose, in and of themselves, significant health risks for their residents. These neighborhoods lack supermarkets with fresh fruits and vegetables, and they lack safe parks and other settings for exercise. They are also neighborhoods with high crime rates and thus much stress. For all these reasons, they should impair the physical health of their residents. Reflecting this argument, the residents of poor urban neighborhoods do, in fact, exhibit significant health problems compared to the residents of wealthier neighborhoods.

Although this argument might sound compelling, the residents of poor and wealthier neighborhoods might differ in other ways that affects their respective health. For example, people living in wealthier neighborhoods are generally more educated and more conscious of taking care of their health. If their health then is better than that of their counterparts in poor neighborhoods, it is difficult to know how much the neighborhood setting itself plays a role in the health of residents.

For this reason, a recent study of a real-life experiment provided compelling evidence of the importance of the quality of a neighborhood for one’s health. In the 1990s, the federal government conducted an experiment in which 1,800 poor urban women were randomly selected and, with their permission, assigned to move from their neighborhoods to wealthier neighborhoods. The women were studied a decade after they moved. In particular, they were weighed and had their blood checked for evidence of diabetes. Their results were then compared to women in their original neighborhoods who were not selected to move away. The women who did move away ended up with somewhat lower rates of diabetes and obesity than those who stayed behind.

The experimental design of this study allowed the researchers to conclude that the change in neighborhoods was the reason for their improvement in these two health measures. Reflecting this conclusion, the secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development said, “This study proves that concentrated poverty is not only bad policy, it’s bad for your health.” A news report observed that the results of this study “offered some of the strongest support yet for the idea that where you live can significantly affect your overall health, especially if your home is in a low-income area.”

The results of this experimental study underscore the need to improve the living conditions of poor urban neighborhoods, as these conditions affect many life outcomes of the adults and children who live in them.

Sources: Ludwig et al., 2011; Stobbe, 2011

Cities experience many kinds of problems, and crowding is one of them. People who live amid crowding are more likely to experience stress and depression and to engage in aggressive behavior or be victimized by it.

Stròlic Furlàn – Davide Gambino – Lots of people – CC BY-ND 2.0.

Another problem is crowding . Cities are crowded in at least two ways. The first involves residential crowding : large numbers of people living in a small amount of space. City streets are filled with apartment buildings, condominiums, row houses, and other types of housing, and many people live on any one city block. Residential crowding is perhaps the defining feature of any large city. In this regard, let’s compare the Manhattan borough of New York City with the state of Idaho. Roughly 1.6 million people live in each location. However, in Manhattan they are packed into only about 24 square miles, while in Idaho they live within 84,000 square miles. Manhattan’s population density , the number of people per square mile, is 68,000 people per square mile; Idaho’s population density is only about 19 people per square mile. Population density in Manhattan is thus 3,579 times (68,000 ÷ 19) greater than in Idaho.

New York is incredibly crowded, but other cities are also very crowded. Chicago’s population density, for example, exceeds 12,200 persons per square mile, while even a smaller city like Cincinnati (population 331,000) has a population density of 4,700 persons per square mile. Even a much smaller city like Ames, Iowa (population 51,000) has a population density of 2,360 persons per square mile. Population density in the small city of Ames is still 124 times greater than in the entire state of Idaho. Residential crowding is thus very high in almost any city in the United States compared to a rural area.

The second type of crowding is household crowding : Dwelling units in cities (apartments and houses) are typically small because of lack of space, and much smaller overall than houses in suburbs or rural areas. This forces many people to live in close quarters within a particular dwelling unit, especially if they are low-income individuals or families.

Some research finds that either type of crowding produces higher levels of stress, depression, aggression and crime. Here an interesting gender difference may exist (Regoeczi, 2008): Household crowding may produce depression in women but not men, and aggression in men but not women.

Although crowding of both types is a problem, then, there is little that cities can do to reduce crowding. This fact underscores the need to undertake other efforts that might address the various consequences of residential and household crowding. In this regard, Chapter 8 “Crime and Criminal Justice” outlined several efforts to help reduce crime and delinquency.

A third problem involves housing . Here there are several related issues. Much urban housing is substandard , as this chapter’s opening news story illustrated, and characterized by such problems as broken windows, malfunctioning heating systems, peeling lead paint, and insect infestation.

At the same time, adequate housing is not affordable for many city residents, as housing prices in cities can be very high, and usually higher than in rural areas, and the residents’ incomes are typically very low. Cities thus have a great need for adequate, affordable housing. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (2012), housing is affordable when a household pays no more than 30 percent of its annual income on housing. Low-income households that must spend more than this benchmark may be unable to afford clothing, food, health care, and transportation. Yet 12 million US households pay more than half their annual incomes for housing.

Another housing issue concerns racial segregation . Although federal law prohibits segregated housing, cities across the country are nonetheless highly segregated by race, with many neighborhoods all or mostly African American. In a widely cited book, sociologists Douglas S. Massey and Nancy A. Denton (1993) termed this situation “American apartheid.” They said that these segregated neighborhoods result from a combination of several factors, including (a) “white flight” into suburbs, (b) informal—and often illegal—racially discriminatory actions that make it difficult for African Americans to move into white neighborhoods (such as real estate agents falsely telling black couples that no houses are available in a particular neighborhood), and (c) a general lack of income and other resources that makes it very difficult for African Americans to move from segregated neighborhoods.

Massey and Denton argued that residential segregation worsens the general circumstances in which many urban African Americans live. Several reasons account for this effect. As whites flee to the suburbs, the people left behind are much poorer. The tax base of cities suffers accordingly, and along with it the quality of city schools, human services, and other social functions. All these problems help keep the crime rate high and perhaps even raise it further. Because segregated neighborhoods are poor and crime ridden, businesses do not want to invest in them, and employment opportunities are meager. This fact worsens conditions in segregated neighborhoods even further. Consequently, concluded Massey and Denton, racial segregation helps to keep very poor people living in deep poverty and decaying neighborhoods.

Other research supports this conclusion. As a review of the research evidence summarized this situation, “Whether voluntary or involuntary, living in racially segregated neighborhoods has serious implications for the present and future mobility opportunities of those who are excluded from desirable areas. Where we live affects our proximity to good job opportunities, educational quality, and safety from crime (both as victim and as perpetrator), as well as the quality of our social networks” (Charles, 2003, pp. 167–168).

Against this pessimistic backdrop, it is worth noting that neighborhood segregation in US cities is somewhat less extensive now than four decades ago, thanks in part to fair-housing legislation enacted during the 1960s (Roberts, 2012). Despite this bit of progress, racial discrimination in the housing market continues (see Chapter 3 “Racial and Ethnic Inequality” ), and most African Americans still live in neighborhoods that are heavily populated by African Americans and hence racially segregated (Logan & Stults, 2011). One demographer summarizes this “good news, bad news” situation as follows: “There is now very much more black-white neighborhood integration than 40 years ago. Those of us who worked on segregation in the 1960s never anticipated such declines. Nevertheless, blacks remain considerably more segregated from whites than do Hispanics or Asians” (Roberts, 2012, p. A13).

To improve the socioeconomic status and living circumstances of African Americans, then, it is critical that residential segregation be reduced. Although Latinos live in segregated neighborhoods to a smaller degree, reducing segregation would also help their circumstances.

Children and Our Future

The Plight of Homeless Children

The faltering economy and wave of home foreclosures of the past few years resulted in what has been called a “national surge” of homeless children. The number of children who are homeless at least part of the year now reaches more than 1.6 million annually, equal to more than 2 percent of all American children. Because of their circumstances, they are at greater risk than their housed peers for hunger, asthma and other chronic health conditions, and stress and emotional problems.

They are at also greater risk for poor school performance. Amid the surge in children’s homelessness, the nation’s schools marshaled their resources to help their homeless children. An official with a private charity that helps poor families pointed out the obvious problem: “It’s hard enough going to school and growing up, but these kids also have to worry where they’ll be staying that night and whether they’ll eat. We see 8-year-olds telling Mom not to worry, don’t cry.”

School districts began sending special buses to homeless shelters, motels, and other settings for homeless children and their parents so that the children could continue attending their regular school. They also assigned social workers to help homeless families and other personnel to bring them school supplies, to drive them to look at shelters where they could live, and to perform other tasks. Federal legislation in fact requires schools to take extra measures to help homeless children, but school superintendents say that the federal government has not provided them the necessary funds to carry out the intent of the legislation. This lack of funding adds to their school districts’ already dire financial situation.

Charity Crowell, age 9, was just one of the hundreds of thousands of homeless children the schools were trying to help. During the semester her family became homeless, her grades fell to C’s from her usual high standard. One reason was that she had trouble staying awake in class. She explained why: “I couldn’t go to sleep, I was worried about all the stuff.”

Another homeless student, Destiny Corfee, age 11, became homeless after her parents lost both their jobs and then their house and had to move into their van. The family then parked the van at a Wal-Mart so that their children could go into the store and clean themselves before they went to school. Recalling life in the van, Destiny said, “I was embarrassed that maybe one of my friends might see me. I don’t want anybody to know that I was actually in there.”

Sources: Bassuk, Murphy, Coupe, Kenney, & Beach, 2011; Eckholm, 2009; Pelley, 2011

Homelessness

A related problem to housing is homelessness . In cities throughout the United States, men, women, and children live in the streets, abandoned vehicles or houses, cheap motels, or trailers, or living in someone else’s home temporarily. In cities with cold climates, homelessness can be life-threatening during the winter. But regardless of climate, the homeless are in a dire situation. Some research finds that one-third of the homeless are victims of violence or theft during the year; this rate of victimization is four times higher than that in the general population (Wenzel, Leake, & Gelberg, 2001). Homeless shelters provide some relief against crime, hunger, and the many other problems arising from homelessness, but too few shelters exist to meet the demand, and those that do exist are underfunded.

Homelessness is a major problem in many cities. The federal government estimates that 650,000 Americans are homeless on any given night.

Gilbert Mercier – Homeless in America Los Angeles 1989 – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

As should be clear, the problem of homelessness cannot be understood from the problem of poverty (see Chapter 2 “Poverty” ). Wealthy families that lose their homes, as after a fire, usually can expect to find suitable temporary lodging and have their homeowners’ insurance pay for a new home (Lee, Tyler, & Wright, 2010). Poor families who can no longer pay their rent or mortgage payments face eviction and homelessness from which they find it difficult to recover.

It is rather difficult to determine the actual number of homeless persons (Lee et al., 2010). For example, if a family is living literally in the streets, we would all agree they are homeless. But if they are living in an abandoned building or in a cheap motel, should they be considered homeless? Even with an adequate definition of homelessness, it is difficult to actually count the number of homeless persons because it is very difficult to find them all. For example, if researchers count all the homeless people who use all the shelters in a city within a given time period, they still fail to count the homeless people who do not come to a shelter.

Keeping these definition and measurement problems in mind, it is nonetheless worth noting that the federal government estimates 650,000 Americans to be homeless on any given night, and 1.6 million to use a shelter or other transitional housing annually (Lee et al., 2010). Because people move in and out of homelessness, the number of people who are homeless at least part of the year is undoubtedly much higher. National survey evidence suggests that 14 percent of Americans have been homeless at least once in their lives, a figure much higher than that in most European nations (Lee et al., 2010).

The US Conference of Mayors (2011) compiled information on homelessness in twenty-nine cities across the country. This large study yielded the following profile of homeless adults:

• 26% with severe mental illness
• 16% physically disabled
• 15% employed
• 13% victims of domestic violence
• 13% military veterans
• 4% HIV positive

As this profile suggests, the homeless population is at much greater risk for a variety of physical and mental health problems and other difficulties (Lee et al., 2010). In particular, they are much more likely than housed Americans to experience hunger and food insecurity, and they are up to twenty times more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses such as hepatitis, high blood pressure, tuberculosis, and vascular disease. On the average, homeless adults die by their midfifties, about twenty years shorter than the average life span of housed adults.

Traffic and Transportation

A fifth problem of city life is traffic and transportation . For better or worse, a fact of city life that arises from the defining feature of cities—many people living in a relatively small area—is that many people need to travel to get to work or school and to visit stores, museums, and any number of other leisure-time settings. Someone living in a rural area is probably able to drive ten miles to work in no longer than twenty minutes, but someone living in an urban area may easily take an hour or longer to travel the same distance after crawling along in traffic and stopping at light after light, or sitting and crawling along in long miles of traffic on an urban highway.

Traffic is a major problem in cities. The great number of motor vehicles in a relatively small space often leads to gridlock and contributes greatly to air pollution.

joiseyshowaa – World Class Traffic Jam 2 – CC BY-SA 2.0.

One manifestation of the traffic problem in cities is traffic gridlock , when traffic in all directions is barely moving or not moving at all. Gridlock occurs in urban areas, not rural ones, because of the sheer volume of traffic and the sheer number of intersections controlled by traffic lights or stop signs. Some cities have better public transportation than others, but congested traffic and time-consuming commuting are problems that urban residents experience every day (see Note 14.19 “Lessons from Other Societies” ).

Lessons from Other Societies

Making Drivers Miserable to Reduce Traffic Congestion

One of the costs of urbanization and modern life is traffic. Urban streets and highways are clogged with motor vehicles, and two major consequences of so much traffic are air pollution and tens of thousands of deaths and injuries from vehicular accidents. To reduce city traffic, many European cities are trying to make driving so burdensome that commuters and other drivers will seek other forms of transportation. As a recent news story summarized this trend, these cities are “creating environments openly hostile to cars. The methods vary, but the mission is clear: to make car use expensive and just plain miserable enough to tilt drivers toward more environmentally friendly modes of transportation.”

For example, Copenhagen, Munich, and Vienna have banned cars on many streets. Barcelona and Paris have replaced car lanes with bicycle lanes. London and Stockholm now require drivers entering their downtowns to pay a heavy toll charge. Many German cities restrict parts of their downtowns to cars that meet certain limits on carbon dioxide emission. Other European cities have sharply limited the number of parking spaces at shopping malls and other areas, and they have also eliminated on-street parking.

This European strategy to relieve traffic congestion differs greatly from the strategy the United States uses. As a European environmental official explained this difference, “In the United States, there has been much more of a tendency to adapt cities to accommodate driving. Here there has been more movement to make cities more livable for people, to get cities relatively free of cars.”

Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland, has made special efforts to “torment drivers,” said the news story, in the hope that drivers will seek other modes of transportation. For example, it added more traffic lights to cause more traffic delays, and it shortened the length of green lights and lengthened red lights. It also banned cars in one of its busiest downtown areas and elsewhere imposed speed limits of just a few miles an hour so that pedestrians are free to cross the street whenever they want. Although store owners in Zurich worried that they would lose business after their streets were closed to traffic, that effect has not happened because pedestrian traffic increased.

Observing traffic inching through hundreds of pedestrians and bicyclists, a Zurich traffic official was happy. “Driving is a stop-and-go experience,” he said. “That’s what we like! Our goal is to reconquer public space for pedestrians, not to make it easy for drivers.”

In contrast, most American cities have tried to make it easier for drivers through such measures as synchronizing green lights and developing apps to help drivers find parking. However, these measures do not reduce the number of cars and do little to relieve traffic congestion. Instead, they tend to make it more likely that people will want to drive in the downtown areas. In contrast, Europe has tried to relieve traffic congestion by reducing the number of cars. Its model offers more potential for reducing the pollution and other problems caused by traffic, and it is one that the United States should adopt.

Source: Rosenthal, 2011

To help reduce traffic congestion, cities long ago developed various means of public transportation: buses, subways, and light rail. Some cities have better public transportation than other cities; Los Angeles has a notoriously bad reputation for the quality of its public transportation. Yet residents of cities with relatively good public transportation still experience severe traffic congestion, long commutes, and related problems: It is estimated that the average Chicago commuter spends seventy hours per year just sitting in traffic jams (Greenfield, 2011). Public transportation is sometimes faster than commuting by car or SUV but can still be very time consuming. People who take a bus or other public transportation can easily spend an hour or more, depending on how far they have to travel and the quality of their city’s transportation system, traveling to a bus or train station, waiting for their transportation, making any necessary connections, and then traveling to their workplace.

One consequence of traffic congestion is stress. As one mental health expert observed, “Commuters can experience greater stress than fighter pilots in battle” (Greenfield, 2011). Another consequence is huge financial costs. Sitting in traffic wastes both time and fuel. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), perhaps the leading scholarly unit for the study of traffic problems, estimates that traffic congestion costs the nation $115 billion annually in wasted time and fuel, or $713 for every auto commuter. Traffic congestion wastes 4.8 billion hours and 1.9 billion gallons of gasoline annually, an amount that would fill more than 200,000 gasoline tank trucks (Schrank, Lomax, & Eisele, 2011). To relieve traffic congestion, TTI recommends significant investments of public funds in public transportation and more efficient designs in private and public transportation systems such as the greater use of electronic toll taking and better timing of traffic lights to increase traffic flow.

Air Pollution

Traffic congestion and the sheer amount of traffic in cities also contribute mightily to air pollution , which we consider here as a separate urban problem. Traffic creates pollution from motor vehicles’ exhaust systems, and some cities have factories and other enterprises that also pollute. As a result, air quality in cities is substandard.

This poor air quality has significant health consequences, as it produces higher rates of respiratory and heart disease and higher mortality rates in cities (Stylianou & Nicolich, 2009). Because even fairly low levels of air pollution can have these health effects (Brunekreef, 2011), cities are unhealthy places and even deadly places for many people.

Both to increase their “carbon footprint” and to get some exercise, many urban residents bicycle in traffic to and from work or bicycle during their leisure time. Ironically, doing so subjects them to air pollution from the traffic surrounding them. This pollution has been shown to impair their cardiovascular and respiratory functioning (Weichenthal et al., 2011).

Because people of color disproportionately live in cities, urban air pollution affects them more than it affects white people. As Chapter 13 “Health and Health Care” noted, this disparity is part of the larger problem of environmental racism . Cities are bad in many ways for their residents, and the air pollution of cities is bad for the health of their residents, who are overwhelmingly people of color in many cities.

If urban residents in general suffer health consequences from air pollution, these consequences are particularly serious and more common among children. Air pollution increases their rates of asthma and other respiratory diseases (Patel et al., 2011). These health problems in turn affect their school performance and can have other lifelong consequences.

Mental Health Problems

Our earlier discussions of crowding and of traffic congestion indicated that stress is one of the most important consequences of these two urban problems. Stress in turn impairs the mental health of urban residents. Much research finds that urban residents have worse mental health than rural residents. In particular, they have much higher levels of mood and anxiety disorders and of schizophrenia (Lederbogen et al., 2011).

Public Education

Yet another issue for cities is the state of their public education . As Chapter 11 “Schools and Education” emphasized, many city schools are housed in old buildings that, like much city housing, are falling apart. City schools are notoriously underfunded and lack current textbooks, adequate science equipment, and other instructional materials.

People Making a Difference

Working to Achieve Social Justice

Nancy Radner has been a tireless advocate for the homeless and for social justice more generally. From 2006 to 2012, she served as the head of the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, which works with eighty-four homeless service agencies and manages more than $50 million in state and federal funding for homeless services. The Alliance also gathers and distributes various kinds of information on homelessness and coordinates political, educational, and public relations events to increase understanding of homelessness.

Before joining the Chicago Alliance, Radner was a program officer at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a national organization that engages in many kinds of efforts aimed at helping the homeless and other low-income individuals find affordable housing. She also served as a staff attorney at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago, where she specialized in housing law.

In 2012, Radner left the Chicago Alliance for another social justice position when she joined the Ounce of Prevention Fund as director of Illinois policy. The Ounce, as this Illinois organization calls itself, advocates for early childhood education and other programs and policies aimed at helping low-income children.

Many people who receive a law degree from a top law school, as Radner did, take a job in a large law firm or with a large corporation and spend their careers helping the wealthy. Instead, Radner chose to use her legal knowledge to help achieve social justice for the poor. She once said of her efforts to end homelessness, “People call us starry-eyed dreamers. But I actually say we’re steely-eyed realists because ending homelessness is not hard. We know exactly how to do it. And what we’re trying to do is create the political will to get it fully done. We can’t prevent people from losing their housing. But what we can do is ensure that if that happens that there’s a system in place to get them out of homelessness really quickly.”

In working her entire career to help the poor and homeless, Nancy Radner has helped make a difference.

Sources: Kapos, 2012; Schorsch, 2010

When many people think about the disadvantages of city life, they probably think about crime, a problem mentioned several times already in this chapter. Their fears are well grounded. Simply put, cities have much higher rates of violent and property crime than do small towns or rural areas (see Figure 14.6 “Crime Rates in Large Cities and Rural Counties, 2010 (Number of Crimes per 100,000 Residents)” ). For example, the violent crime rate (number of crimes per 100,000 residents) in 2010 was almost four times higher in the nation’s largest cities than in its rural counties, while the property crime rate was more than twice as high.

Figure 14.6 Crime Rates in Large Cities and Rural Counties, 2010 (Number of Crimes per 100,000 Residents)

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2011). Crime in the United States, 2010 . Washington, DC: Author.

Why are city crime rates much higher? Because crime rates take the number of people into account, the answer is not simply that cities have more people than rural areas. Nor is the answer simply that cities have higher poverty than rural areas, because rural areas in fact have higher poverty overall, as we discuss later in this chapter. Rather, an important answer is that cities have higher residential crowding (or higher population density) and also more household crowding, as we saw earlier.

Crime rates are higher in cities in part because the great numbers of urban residents provide many potential targets for criminals.

James Marvin Phelps – Las Vegas Boulevard – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Several reasons explain why higher residential crowding produces higher crime rates. Consider violent crime. For a violent crime to occur, it takes two people to tangle, so to speak. Criminals cannot kill, rob, or assault someone unless there is a “someone” to assault. In a city, there are many potential targets of violence all crowded together into a relatively small space, and thus many potential targets for criminals. In a rural area, potential targets are spread across miles, and a robber can go a long time without ever seeing a potential victim. Many assaults are also committed not by hardened criminals but by people (usually men) who get angry because of some perceived insult. In a city, there is a much greater chance for interaction to occur where someone might feel insulted, simply because there are so many people living within a small space and bars and other venues for them to congregate. A thousand people living on one city block are more likely to encounter each other than a thousand people living across thirty square miles in a rural area. Because there is more opportunity in a city for insults and other problems to occur that lead to violence, more violence occurs.

Cities also have more crowded households than rural areas, as we saw earlier, and these also make a difference for at least two reasons (Stark, 1987). Crowded households are more stressful, and people who experience stress are more likely to be aggressive. Further, people (and perhaps especially young people) who live in crowded households often find they need to “get outside” to be away from the stress of the household and to have some “elbow room” and privacy. But once outside, they are that much more likely to interact with other people. Because, as we just noted, social interaction is a prerequisite for violence, household crowding indirectly contributes to violence for this reason.

Residential crowding and household crowding thus combine to produce higher crime rates in cities than in urban areas. City neighborhoods differ in their degree of both types of crowding, and those that have higher crowding rates should have higher crime rates, all else equal. In sociologist Rodney Stark’s (1987) term, these neighborhoods are deviant places because their structural features, such as crowding, almost automatically contribute to higher crime rates regardless of who is living in these neighborhoods.

Another structural feature of cities helps to explain why they have a higher property crime rate than rural areas. Burglars obviously cannot burglarize a home unless there is a nearby home to burglarize. In cities, there are many homes to serve as potential targets for burglars; in rural areas, these homes are far and few between. Similarly, if someone wants to shoplift in a store or break into a store overnight, they can more easily do so in an urban area, where there are many stores, than in a rural area, where the landscape is filled with trees or fields rather than Walmarts or Best Buys.

Although Stark (1987) coined the term deviant places to refer to urban neighborhoods that had certain features that contribute to high crime rates, his term can also refer to cities themselves. For the reasons just discussed, cities are inevitably much more likely than rural areas to be deviant places. The defining feature of a city—large numbers of people living in a small area—guarantees that cities will have higher crime rates than rural areas. Cities are deviant places precisely because they are cities.

Key Takeaways

• Major issues and problems confronting US cities today include those involving fiscal difficulties, crowding, housing, traffic, pollution, public education, and crime.
• Several of these problems stem directly from the fact that cities involve large numbers of people living in a relatively small amount of space.

For Your Review

• If you were to work for a mayor of a large city to help address one specific problem in that city, which problem would you prefer to work on? Why?
• Americans often seem to blame city residents for many of the problems affecting US cities today, including low academic achievement and rundown conditions in city schools and crime in the streets. Do you think it is fair to blame city residents for these problems, or are there other reasons for them? Explain your answer.

Bassuk, E., Murphy, C., Coupe, N. T., Kenney, R. R., & Beach, C. A. (2011, September 6). America’s youngest outcasts 2010 . Needham, MA: National Center on Family Homelessness.

Brunekreef, B. (2011). Air pollution and health: Evidence, thresholds, standards. Air Quality & Climate Change, 45 (3), 35–37.

Charles, C. Z. (2003). The dynamics of racial residential segregation. Annual Review of Sociology, 29 , 167–207.

Eckholm, E. (2009). Surge in homeless pupils strains schools. New York Times , p. A1.

Greenfield, B. (2011, September 23). America’s most stressful cities. Forbes . Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethgreenfield/2011/09/23/americas-most-stressful-cities .

Kapos, S. (2012, January 31). Nancy Radner leaves poverty group’s top job to direct policy at Ounce of Prevention. Chicago Business . Retrieved from http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120131/BLOGS03/120139929/nancy-radner-leaves-poverty-groups-top-job-to-direct-policy-at-ounce-of-prevention .

Klepper, D. (2012, January 5). RI Gov., mayors say state must help cities now. The Boston Globe . Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2012/01/05/ri_gov_mayors_say_state_must_help_cities_now .

Knauss, T. (2012, January 26). Former Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch to advise Syracuse on finances, Mayor Stephanie Miner says. The Post-Standard . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/former_lt_gov_richard_ravitch.html .

Lederbogen, F., Kirsch, P., Haddad, L., Streit, F., Tost, H., Schuch, P., et al. (2011). City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans. Nature, 474 (7352), 498–501.

Lee, B. A., Tyler, K. A., & Wright, J. D. (2010). The new homelessness revisited. Annual Review of Sociology, 36 , 501–521.

Logan, J. R., & Stults, B. J. (2011). The persistence of segregation in the metropolis: New findings from the 2010 census. Retrieved from http://www.s4.brown.edu/us2010/Data/Report/report2.pdf .

Ludwig, J., Sanbonmatsu, L., Gennetian, L., Adam, E., Duncan, G. J., Katz, L. F., et al. (2011). Neighborhoods, obesity, and diabetes—a randomized social experiment. New England Journal of Medicine, 365 (16), 1509–1519.

Massey, D. S., & Denton, N. A. (1993). American apartheid: Segregation and the making of the underclass . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

McNichol, D. A. (2009, May 1). Revenue loss putting cities in fiscal vise. New York Times , p. NJ1.

Oosting, J. (2012, January 30). Rep. Hansen Clarke talks with president on Air Force One, seeks emergency aid for Detroit. Mlive.com . Retrieved from http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2012/01/rep_hansen_clarke_talks_with_p.html .

Patel, M. M., Quinn, J. W., Jung, K. H., Hoepner, L., Diaz, D., Perzanowski, M., et al. (2011). Traffic density and stationary sources of air pollution associated with wheeze, asthma, and immunoglobulin E from birth to age 5 years among New York City children. Environmental Research, 111 (8), 1222–1229.

Regoeczi, W. C. (2008). Crowding in context: An examination of the differential responses of men and women to high-density living environments. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 49 , 254–268.

Roberts, S. (2012, January 31). Study of census results finds that residential segregation is down sharply. New York Times , p. A13.

Rosenthal, E. (2011, June 27). Across Europe, irking drivers is urban policy. New York Times , A1.

Schorsch, K. (2010, October 17). Alliance sees a path to ending homelessness. Chicago Tribune . Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-17/news/ct-met-holiday-giving-chicago-allianc20101017_1_end-homelessness-nancy-radner- homeless-system .

Schrank, D., Lomax, T., & Eisele, B. (2011). 2011 urban mobility report . College Station, TX: Texas Transportation Institute.

Stark, R. (1987). Deviant places: A theory of the ecology of crime. Criminology, 25 , 893–911.

Stobbe, M. (2011, October 20). Decade-long study links living in low-income neighborhoods to poor health. The Boston Globe , p. A15.

Stylianou, M., & Nicolich, M. J. (2009). Cumulative effects and threshold levels in air pollution mortality: Data analysis of nine large US cities using the NMMAPS dataset. Environmental Pollution, 157 , 2216–2213.

US Conference of Mayors. (2011). Hunger and homelessness survey: A status report on hunger and homelessness in America’s cities . Washington, DC: Author.

US Conference of Mayors. (2012, January 24). Statement by US Conference of Mayors president Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in reaction to President Obama’s State of the Union address. Retrived from http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/2012/0124-statement-sotu.pdf .

US Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2012). Affordable housing. Retrieved Janaury 31, 2012, from http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing .

Weichenthal, S., Kulka, R., Dubeau, A., Martin, C., Wang, D., & Dales, R. (2011). Traffic-related air pollution and acute changes in heart rate variability and respiratory function in urban cyclists. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119 (10), 1373–1378.

Social Problems Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Essays About Cities: Top 7 Examples and 10 Prompts

If you’re writing an essay about cities, discover helpful examples of essays about cities and prompts in our guide to help stir your creative thoughts. 

Cities are the most stable social organization that has stood the test of time. A place achieves city status not only because of the sheer size of its population but also because of its territories, economic development, and political influence. Creating sustainable and resilient cities has attracted significant attention from academics, policymakers, civic groups, and the private sector over the years. This interest is spurred by pressing threats to the livability of cities, such as flooding, pollution, urban migration, and congestion. Whether you live in a city or dream of city life, writing an essay on this topic is a fantastic way to convey your thoughts on this topic. 

Check out below some amazing essay examples and prompts to help you create an insightful essay.

7 Best Essay Examples

1.  cities are scrambling to prevent flooding by casey crownhart, 2. putrajaya: the capital city you’ve never heard of by ronan o’connell, 3. japan’s hidden jewels: the abandoned island of hashima by hannah bergin, 4. planning to preserve — keeping heritage relevant in cities by marcus ng, 5. building the city of the future — at a $41 trillion price tag by aneri pattani, 6. 8 highlights from enabling masterplan 2030 to empower persons with disabilities by shermaine ang and goh yan han, 7. how cities are using technology to solve their trash problems by nell lewis, 10 writing prompts for essays about cities, 1. all about your city, 2. anti-congestion policies in your city, 3. fixing flood-prone cities, 4. green cities, 5. city vs. countryside, 6. cities in the metaverse, 7. what are megacities, 8. criminality in cities, 9. bucket list cities, 10. agriculture in cities.

“In many cases, their existing systems are aging and built for the climate of the past. And even upgrades can do only so much to mitigate the intense flooding that’s becoming more common, leaving cities to come up with other solutions.”

In this article, Crownhart delves into how states across the United States are experiencing unprecedented flood levels that are drowning out entire towns. While a total upgrade is urgent, it is also insanely costly.

“Building Putrajaya from scratch also afforded generous opportunities for innovation. Mahathir’s goal was to make Putrajaya Malaysia’s most eco-friendly urban centre and its most modern.”

In this Essay, O’Connell describes some capital cities we may not know of. Focusing on Malaysia, we learn that Putrajaya aimed to serve as Malaysia’s next capital during the worsening congestion in Kuala Lumpur. Now, Malaysia’s administrative and judicial capital offers the lure and peace of a sleeping eco-haven.

“A coal-mining site during the Meiji Restoration, Hashima has since been completely abandoned. All that remains of the once thriving site, are the crumbling bones of deserted buildings.”

Looking at some economic issues within cities, Bergin describes the coal mining industry within Hashima. Hashima was once a host to a thriving coal mining industry, but people abruptly left once the mine reserves had depleted. Now, the remnants of its glorious industrial past can only be glimpsed through Google images. 

“Preserving historical buildings and neighbourhoods helps to maintain a city’s distinctive character and engender a sense of belonging. The social fabric is also strengthened when planners work with local communities to create new and relevant uses for old spaces such as industrial neighbourhoods.”

The essay visits the culture and heritage preservation policies and efforts across various cultural cities, both old and emerging. Marcus Ng describes the importance of preserving significant buildings that enhance a city’s unique history and culture.

“As cities invest in air-quality sensors, solar-powered trash compactors, self-healing power grids and more, the opportunities for private industry are huge. Experts say there is just one problem: It’s virtually impossible to measure the return on investment for many leading-edge technologies first being put to use by the public sector.”

In the following decades, cities could be shelling out $41 trillion to build their smart capabilities to take living standards to the next level. However, a looming problem remains, and that is estimating a return from this investment. Pattani discusses the importance of building smart and sustainable cities.

“A new task force will work on designing alternative employment models such as micro jobs – temporary, task-type jobs – which can support more people to work, and increase the number of organisations that commit to being inclusive through the Enabling Mark and Enabling Employment Pledge.”

Among the top countries known for its friendliness to persons with disabilities (PWD), Singapore continues to roll out new efforts to make PWDs more at home in this Lion City. This intriguing essay shows how to progress with essential socio-economic growth within a city.

“As urban populations continue to grow, some cities are struggling to cope. Many are turning to new technologies for cost-effective solutions to clean up waste.”

From AI, automation, and converting waste to energy, cities are drawing up innovative measures to address their growing waste problem. In this essay, Lewis describes how technology can be used to tackle recycling issues in condensed and highly populated cities.

Read on to see writing prompts and ideas to help you get started:

This essay could serve as an ultimate city guide. First, write about the history of the city you line in, including the figures that envisioned and helped make the city blueprint a reality. Then, talk about its economic development and architectural changes over the decades. Finally, recommend the best landmarks tourists should visit.

Traffic congestion can easily rob a city of billions of dollars a year. But it remains the biggest challenge, especially for business hubs. For this essay, share how immense the congestion problem is in your city. Then, lay down the solutions being implemented by your city government or proposed by concerned communities.

With the rapid pace of global warming, flooding in cities is now a significant concern that demands urgent action. Look into model cities and highlight out-of-the-box strategies they are undertaking. Some examples could be Tokyo’s $2 billion floodwater cathedral and the Busan floating pontoon city project. You may also share about your own city’s flood mitigation program. 

Beyond improving the environment and reducing pollution, green cities also promote better health and wellness for their citizens. List down your city government’s efforts to shift toward a greener city. If you want to go the extra mile, interview city officials and city planners. You could also talk to groups advocating for green cities to know more deeply about the obstacles preventing your city from going greener and emerging policy proposals. 

The countryside is always a good place to escape the city’s bustle and hustle from time to time. But if you were to choose a permanent residence, would you go to the big city or the countryside? Make a pick by weighing the pros and cons of moving to the countryside or staying in the city. You may also mull over the push in many countries to bring commerce and jobs to the countryside. Answer how this could benefit provinces, promote countryside living and help decongest cities. 

Many companies are investing billions of dollars to become the first movers in the virtual world, where they aspire to build their cities and empire. This is compelling even government agencies to venture into this exciting new world. But what exactly are the opportunities and threats awaiting netizens in the metaverse? Identify the advantages and disadvantages of metaverse-based cities regarding economic opportunities and social development on an individual, community, and national level. 

Megacities are extraordinarily large cities with millions of residents and diverse cultures. Megacities promise greater connectivity, bigger and more reliable infrastructure, and greater integration of technology in everyday life. In your essay, discuss the global upward trend in the attraction of megacities as a center for business and prosperity. 

In your essay, you can try to answer whether community size affects the criminality rate. First, research by gathering available reports that analyze and compare criminality rates in urban and rural areas. Then, cite the primary factors that make cities more prone to criminal incidents. You could also search for the most violent cities in the world and find out factors that drove criminality in these cities to record highs. 

In this light essay, write about the city you’ve been dreaming of travelling to. Then, explain why this is your top pick. Your reasons may relate to the history of the place, grand aesthetic architecture, or even something more personal. To conclude your essay, list down the must-visit landmarks and must-do activities once you get the chance to visit this city.

Urban agriculture is one way to ensure food sufficiency and promote city livelihoods. First, write about model cities aggressively promoting agricultural farming, cultivation, and processing within city centers. Then, talk about your city’s urban gardening initiatives and how this has helped enhance food security. For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checker . If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

City Life Essay

500+ words essay on city life.

City life is very busy, fast-moving and restless. All the necessary things are easily available in the city. Life is full of luxuries, and everything is within reach. The city has many things to offer, such as better job opportunities, higher living standards, medical facilities, clubs, shopping malls, stores, restaurants, etc. It has theatres, amusement parks, cricket stadiums etc., for entertainment. People from rural areas are shifting to the cities for a better quality of life. This essay on city life will throw light on the positive and negative aspects of city life. Students must go through it and try to write their own essays. For more practice, they can go through the list of different essay topics, which will help in improving their writing section.

Positive Aspects of City Life

Life in a big city is a whirl of activities. Very often, people from the countryside move to the cities in order to find decent jobs. It offers good educational facilities for children by providing the best schools, colleges and institutions. Cities have always been the hub of innovation, the home of creative thought, art forms, political ideas and many more things. People of the city do not waste their time as they keep doing something to gain growth and success in their life. Cities are well connected with road, railway and flight networks. So, it becomes easy for individuals to connect with other people and grow their businesses as compared to rural areas. Cities have become a potent force for addressing economic growth, development and prosperity.

Negative Aspects of City Life

Cities are very crowded places. The cost of living in the city is high. The houses are small and inadequate due to space limitations. Bad housing conditions can cause various health issues. The environment of the city is very polluted due to the air, water, land and noise pollution. This causes bad health and can infect people with various diseases.

Some of the cities are very dirty due to the lack of a proper disposal system. Also, drainage problems are often found in the city. People do not get fresh air to breathe and natural places where they can rejuvenate themselves. People in the city are often busy, so they do not socially interact with others. They limit themselves to their houses and families. Sometimes, they don’t even know about their neighbours and surroundings.

The impact of the city on a person’s life is both negative and positive. From the bad quality of air to noise pollution and restless life, it has affected peace of mind. But cities are also stimulating as centres of industry, art, science and political power. They are the focus of progress. By reducing the aggressive impact of the city on people, the essential positive aspects of city life can be greatly intensified.

Students must have found this city life essay useful for improving their essay writing skills. They can get the study material and the latest updates on CBSE/ICSE/State Board/Competitive Exams at BYJU’S.

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Cause & Effect Essay: Traffic Problems of a Big City

Cities like New York, London, and Paris have all had to deal with thousands of cars running through their streets each day. Traffic congestion is a big problem for everyone within the city. The main reasons why traffic congestion occurs are more cars, poor road management, and poor practices on behalf of employers.

One of the main reasons why there’s more congestion is due to more cars on the road. The adult population is increasing and therefore more people want their own personal transport to get around with. As the number of cars increase the chance of congestion also increases. It’s why in smaller towns and villages congestion is almost unheard of.

This is coupled with a lack of proper infrastructure. Councils and national governments fail to act on the looming threat of heavy congestion until it happens. The city doesn’t expand along with an increasingly car reliant population. A single street with a lane on each side before might not suffice in ten years after the population has increased. Authorities often fail to convert this into a dual carriageway.

Alternate routes are also a problem. Cities have limited capacity to expand due to poor funding and planning restrictions preventing building on green belt spaces. Cities are forced to work with the routes they already have. If they can’t increase the number of lanes it leads to congestion.

Employers can also play a part in dealing with congestion. Congestion almost always happens when people are travelling to and from work. Traffic congestion has eased in recent years as a result of growing unemployment and the introduction of more flexible work hours.

By adhering to the traditional 9-5 routines, there’s a greater chance of congestion. Everyone has to travel to and from work at the same time each day.

A lack of public transport, or poor public transport options, will also cause problems. If there isn’t enough buses, trams, or local trains people are forced to take their cars to work. The ratio of passengers to vehicles decreases, whereas if they were able to take the bus people would feel less of a need to drive their cars.

In many places, commuters are forced away from public transport by the private companies which run them. Increasing fare prices, especially on the trains, make driving a car with its associated high fuel costs cheaper than public transport. By pushing people back to their cars again they only exasperate the congestion problem.

In conclusion, congestion is mainly caused by a desire for people to drive their cars coupled with a failure by local government to act. If they invested in more affordable public transport options and a better infrastructure the incidence of congestion would decrease in major cities.

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• Overpopulation Essay

IELTS Overpopulation Essay

This model essay is about  overpopulation in cities . You specifically have to talk about the  problems  of overpopulation, and suggest some  solutions  to this problem.

Note that this question specifically asks you what governments and individuals can do.

Here is the question:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Organising a Problems & Solutions Essay

Note that this overpopulation essay question specifically asks you what governments and individuals can do.

You MUST, therefore, write about what both of these can do in order to fully answer the question.

Note as well that you must talk about  serious  problems.

The easiest way to organize a problems and solutions essay is as follows:

Body 1: Problems

Body 2: Solutions

In this essay, a separate paragraph has been written about government and individual solutions, so it is organized as follows:

Body 2: Solutions - Government

Body 3: Solutions - Individuals

Model Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Overpopulation Essay - Sample Answer

Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas, and both governments and individuals have a duty to find ways to overcome these problems.

Overpopulation can lead to overcrowding and poor quality housing in many large cities. Poorly heated or damp housing could cause significant health problems, resulting in illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Another serious consequence of overcrowding is a rising crime rate as poor living conditions may lead young people in particular to take desperate measures and turn to crime or drugs.

In terms of solutions, I believe the government should be largely responsible. Firstly, it is vital that the state provides essential housing and healthcare for all its citizens. Secondly, setting up community projects to help foster more community spirit and help keep young people off the street is a good idea. For example, youth clubs or evening classes for teenagers would keep them occupied. Finally, more effective policing of inner city areas would also be beneficial.

Naturally, individuals should also try to address these problems. One way is to put pressure on the government to ensure they tackle the problems by, for instance, forming action groups to lobby the government and request intervention and adequate funding. They could also form Neighbourhood Watch areas to try and help reduce the high levels of crime.

Therefore, it is clear that the problems caused by overpopulation in urban areas are very serious. Yet if governments and individuals share a collective responsibility, then it may well become possible to offer some solutions.

(260 words)

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Competing for Jobs Essay

Competing for Jobs Essay: This is a model essay about the problems arising when older people have to compete with younger people for jobs. you need to write about the problems that arise if older people have to compete for jobs with younger people.

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Read Our Research On:

• What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities
• 4. Views of problems facing urban, suburban and rural communities

Table of Contents

• 1. Demographic and economic trends in urban, suburban and rural communities
• 2. Urban, suburban and rural residents’ views on key social and political issues
• 3. How people in urban, suburban and rural communities see each other – and say others see them
• 5. Americans’ satisfaction with and attachment to their communities
• 6. How urban, suburban and rural residents interact with their neighbors
• 7. Life satisfaction and social support in different communities
• Acknowledgments
• Methodology
• Appendix: Additional tables and maps

Urban, suburban and rural communities in the U.S. face a host of problems today. Some are common across community types, while others are tied to the unique nature of life in these different areas. In some cases, such as drug addiction and jobs, views about the severity of local problems are more strongly linked to race and socio-economic status than they are to the type of community one lives in, suggesting that some of the challenges Americans face today may be rooted more in demographics than in geography.

In urban and rural communities alike, about half see drug addiction as a top-tier problem: 50% and 46%, respectively, say this is a major problem in their local community. A smaller but substantial share of adults living in suburban areas (35%) say drug addiction is a major problem where they live.

There is more concern about affordable housing, poverty, crime and the quality of public schools among urban residents than there is among their suburban and rural counterparts. For example, 52% of adults living in urban areas say the availability of affordable housing is a major problem in their local community, compared with 34% in the suburbs and 36% in rural areas. Similarly, urban residents are about twice as likely as those living in the suburbs to say crime is a major problem where they live (35% vs. 16%). One-in-five rural residents say crime is a major problem in their community.

Some problems stand out as being particularly acute in rural areas. Rural residents are significantly more likely than those living in urban or suburban areas to say the availability of jobs: 42% of rural residents say this is a major problem in their community, compared with 34% of urban and 22% of suburban residents. Rural residents are also significantly more likely to say access to public transportation is a major problem where they live.

While relatively few adults across community types say access to good doctors and hospitals, high-speed internet and grocery stores are major problems where they live, significant shares say each is at least a minor problem. Rural residents stand out in each case. When it comes to access to health care, two-thirds of rural residents say this is either a major or minor problem where they live. By comparison, roughly the same share of suburbanites (64%) say this is not a problem where they live. Similarly, while 58% of adults in rural areas say access to high-speed internet is a problem for them – including 24% who say it is a major problem – smaller shares of urban (43%) and suburban (36%) residents say this is a problem where they live. Suburban residents are significantly less likely than their urban or rural counterparts to characterize access to grocery stores as a problem in their community. Only 20% do, compared with 33% of those in urban areas and 43% in rural areas.

Concern over racism is roughly comparable in urban and rural communities – 21% of urban residents and 17% of rural residents say this is a major problem. A slightly smaller share (13%) say this is a major problem in the suburbs.

The condition of roads, bridges and other infrastructure is a major problem for 36% of urban, 27% of suburban and 32% of rural residents. Traffic, on the other hand, is a much bigger problem for those living in cities (36% say this is a major problem) or suburbs (29%) than it is for adults living in a rural area (13%).

Sharp socio-economic divide on concerns about drug addiction

Across community types, majorities of Americans say drug addiction is a problem in their community. Overall, 42% say this is a major problem and an additional 45% say it is a minor problem.

Concerns about this issue don’t vary widely between whites and nonwhites, nor do they differ markedly by age. Views on the severity of this problem do differ significantly along socio-economic lines. While a third of adults with a bachelor’s degree or more education say drug addiction is a major problem in their local community, roughly four-in-ten of those with some college education (43%) and an even higher share of those with a high school diploma or less education (48%) say the same.

Similarly, those who describe themselves as upper class express less concern about drug addiction than do those who describe themselves as middle or lower class. In fact, fully 50% of lower-class adults say drug addiction is a major problem where they live. These gaps hold up – for the most part – across community types, although the class differences are not evident among rural residents.

Rural residents more likely to say availability of jobs is a major problem where they live

Overall, 31% of Americans say the availability of jobs is a major problem in their local community and 45% say this is a minor problem. Roughly one-in-four (23%) say this is not a problem in their community. Perceptions about local job conditions differ not only by community type but also by key demographic characteristics. There is a significant racial divide in views about the availability of jobs, with nonwhites much more likely than whites to say this is a major problem where they live (40% vs. 26%).

This gap can be seen across community types, with significantly larger shares of nonwhites voicing concern about the availability of jobs where they live. In rural areas, where a higher share overall says jobs are a problem, 53% of nonwhites and 38% of whites characterize this as a major problem.

Views on the availability of jobs differ by educational attainment and income as well. Overall, 22% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or more education say this is a major problem in their local community, compared with 35% of those with some college or less education. Similarly, adults with annual household incomes of less than $30,000 are about twice as likely as those with incomes of $75,000 or higher to say the availability of jobs is a major problem in their community (43% vs. 20%). These patterns are consistent among urban, suburban and rural residents.

mericans have mixed views about how the job situation will be in the future. About a third (34%) say they expect the availability of jobs where they live to be better 10 years from now, 20% say it will be worse and 45% say it will stay about the same. Adults from urban areas are more optimistic than those living in suburban and rural areas. Rural residents are the least optimistic. Four-in-ten urban residents say they expect the job situation in their local community to improve over the next decade, compared with 34% of suburbanites and 28% of those living in rural areas. Roughly one-in-five across community types say they expect the job situation to get worse where they live.

Among suburban and rural residents who say the availability of jobs is a major problem in their community, relatively few are optimistic that things will improve over the next decade – 20% of those living in rural areas and 21% of suburbanites.

Wide racial gaps on a range of community problems

Nonwhites consistently voice greater concern than whites about the magnitude of a variety of problems in their community. In many cases, the racial gap persists across community types. In urban, suburban and rural areas, nonwhites are significantly more likely than whites to say that poverty, crime, racism, jobs, access to good doctors and hospitals, and access to high-speed internet are major problems in their local communities. In some cases, whites in the suburbs stand out as being the least concerned about these issues. For example, when it comes to poverty, 17% of suburban whites say this is a major problem in their community, compared with 28% of rural and 35% of urban whites.

There’s a racial divide in suburban and rural communities when it comes to housing, the quality of K-12 public schools, access to grocery stores, and traffic. Whites and nonwhites in urban areas express similar levels of concern about these issues.

There are also socio-economic divides on several of these problems. When it comes to poverty, crime and infrastructure, as well as access to quality medical care, high-speed internet, and grocery stores, adults with less than a four-year college degree are significantly more likely than college graduates to express high levels of concern. For example, 32% of adults without a bachelor’s degree say poverty is a major problem where they live, compared with 24% of those who have a four-year college degree or more. Similarly, while about one-in-five adults without a four-year college degree (17%) say access to high-speed internet is a major problem in their community, only 8% of college graduates say the same.

The educational divides in views about these local problems are less consistent than the racial divides across community types. On views about crime and access to doctors, less educated adults express higher levels of concern than those with a bachelor’s or higher degree in urban, suburban and rural areas.

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Essay on City Life

Introduction to City Life

Where every street tells a story

City life, a dynamic tapestry of bustling streets and towering structures has evolved into a defining aspect of human civilization. Defined by its relentless pace, cultural diversity, and economic vibrancy, city life encapsulates the essence of modern existence. As urbanization continues to reshape landscapes globally, understanding the complexities and nuances of city living becomes paramount. This essay delves into city life’s multifaceted dimensions, historical evolution, socio-cultural dynamics, economic significance, urban infrastructure, and the challenges and opportunities accompanying the urban experience. Unveiling the layers of city life promises insights into the heartbeat of contemporary society.

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Evolution of Cities

The evolution of cities represents a fascinating journey through human history, reflecting the progression of societies from ancient settlements to modern metropolises. This evolution is characterized by several key stages, each marked by distinct socio-economic, cultural, and technological advancements.

• Ancient Settlements: Cities emerged as early as 4000 BCE in regions such as Mesopotamia, the Nile Valley, the Indus Valley, and ancient China. These settlements, like Ur, Mohenjo-Daro, and Memphis, served as trade, governance, and cultural exchange centers. They established the groundwork for urbanization despite having primitive infrastructure, such as mud-brick buildings and crude sanitary systems.
• Classical Urbanism: The ancient Greeks and Romans further advanced urban development with cities like Athens, Rome, and Constantinople. These cities boasted sophisticated infrastructure, including aqueducts, sewage systems, and monumental architecture. They served as hubs of culture, commerce, and intellectual exchange, fostering the growth of democracy, philosophy, and the arts.
• Medieval Cities: With the decline of the Roman Empire, urbanization regressed in Europe, and cities became fortified centers during the medieval period. Feudalism shaped urban life, with cities like Paris, London, and Florence emerging as centers of trade, craftsmanship, and religious authority. Medieval cities were characterized by narrow streets, dense housing, and guild-based economies, reflecting the hierarchical structure of feudal society.
• Renaissance and Early Modern Cities: The Renaissance era witnessed a revival of urbanism, marked by renewed interest in art, science, and exploration. Cities like Venice, Florence, and Amsterdam flourished as centers of innovation, trade, and cultural renaissance. Urban planning became more organized with the emergence of grand boulevards, public squares, and architectural masterpieces.
• Industrial Revolution: Cities were hubs of industry, trade, and population expansion when the Industrial Revolution began in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cities like Manchester, Birmingham, and Chicago experienced rapid urbanization fueled by industrialization, mass migration from rural areas, and technological innovations. However, industrial cities also grappled with overcrowding, pollution, and social inequality, leading to urban reform movements.
• Modern Metropolises: The 20th and 21st centuries witnessed the rise of modern metropolises characterized by skyscrapers, mass transit systems, and global connectivity. Cities like New York, Tokyo, and Shanghai emerged as economic powerhouses, shaping global commerce, culture, and innovation. Urban planning prioritized sustainability, green spaces, and mixed-use development to address the challenges of urbanization, such as congestion, pollution, and social disparities.

The Rhythm of Daily Life in the City

The city’s daily life rhythm is a symphony of activities, sounds, and movements that compose the intricate melody of urban existence. From the early morning bustle to the nocturnal hum, each day in the city unfolds with a distinct cadence, reflecting the diverse routines and interactions that characterize metropolitan living.

• Morning Commute: The day typically begins with the bustling energy of the morning commute. Streams of people flow through crowded streets, subways, and buses, heading to workplaces, schools, and various destinations. The city wakes up to the collective pulse of footsteps, vehicle engines, and the occasional street vendor setting up shop.
• Work and Productivity: The heart of the day beats in the workplaces and commercial centers. Skyscrapers and office buildings come alive with the rhythm of productivity as professionals engage in meetings, collaborate on projects, and navigate the ebb and flow of daily tasks. Street-level cafes and lunch spots become social hubs, echoing with the clatter of dishes and the murmur of conversations.
• Cultural Interludes: Urban life offers cultural interludes throughout the day. Museums, galleries, and theaters invite city dwellers to pause and immerse themselves in art, performances, and intellectual pursuits. The urban rhythm shifts to a slower tempo as individuals find moments of reflection and inspiration within the city’s cultural tapestry.
• Afternoon Lull: The afternoon often introduces a brief lull in the urban cadence. Streets may quieten down as some take refuge in parks while others continue their work or educational pursuits. The rhythm adapts to the varying tempos of diverse lifestyles, with some seeking relaxation and others remaining entrenched in the day’s demands.
• Evening Rush and Social Vibes: As the workday concludes, the city experiences a crescendo of activity during the evening rush. Streets and public transport echo with the symphony of footsteps, vehicle horns, and lively chatter. Urbanites transition from professional to social spheres, with restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues becoming vibrant spaces filled with the laughter and conversations of diverse communities.
• Nightlife and Tranquil Moments: The night unfolds with a distinctive urban beat. Nightlife districts come alive with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. Simultaneously, quieter neighborhoods offer tranquil moments, with the city’s heartbeat slowing to a gentle rhythm. Residents and visitors navigate this dichotomy, choosing between the pulsating energy of city lights and the serene calmness of less frenetic areas.
• Late-Night Ambiance: The late-night ambiance of the city takes on a unique character. Emergency sirens, distant traffic, and occasional revelry create a nocturnal cadence. Night workers, whether in healthcare, public safety, or hospitality, contribute to the continuity of the urban rhythm, ensuring that the city never truly sleeps.
• The Subtle Dawn: As the night wanes, the city embraces the subtle dawn. The rhythm of the morning commute begins anew, signaling the start of another day in the urban landscape. The city reawakens, its heartbeat synchronized with its inhabitants’ daily routines and aspirations.

Socio-Cultural Fabric

The socio-cultural fabric of cities forms the intricate weave of human interaction, diversity, and identity. It encompasses the myriad social relationships, cultural expressions, and communal bonds that define urban life. Exploring the socio-cultural fabric of cities unveils the rich tapestry of experiences, traditions, and values that shape the urban landscape.

• Diversity and Multiculturalism: Cities are multicultural melting pots where individuals of all ancestries, races, and cultures come together. The interplay of diverse perspectives, languages, and traditions fosters a vibrant cultural mosaic within urban communities. From Chinatowns to Little Italys, cities celebrate cultural diversity through festivals, cuisines, and cultural institutions, enriching the social fabric and fostering cross-cultural understanding.
• Social Interaction and Networking: Urban environments provide fertile ground for social interaction and networking, facilitating the exchange of ideas, collaborations, and social connections. Public spaces such as parks, cafes, and community centers serve as meeting points where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to socialize, network, and build social capital. Social media platforms and online communities further augment social connectivity, transcending physical boundaries and expanding social networks.
• Entertainment and Cultural Opportunities: Cities offer many entertainment and cultural opportunities, from theaters and museums to music venues and art galleries. Cultural institutions serve as hubs of creativity, showcasing diverse artistic expressions and fostering cultural dialogue. Street performances, festivals, and cultural events animate urban spaces, engaging residents and visitors alike in cultural exchange and artistic appreciation.
• Community Cohesion and Identity: Despite the anonymity and transience often associated with urban life, cities nurture strong community cohesion and identity bonds. Neighborhoods serve as microcosms of community life, where residents form social networks, participate in local initiatives, and cultivate a sense of belonging. Community organizations, religious institutions, and grassroots movements play pivotal roles in fostering community cohesion, empowering residents, and advocating for social justice.
• Challenges of Social Fragmentation and Gentrification: However, the socio-cultural fabric of cities has its challenges. Rapid urbanization, economic disparities, and gentrification can fragment communities, displacing marginalized populations and eroding social cohesion. Gentrification, in particular, can lead to the displacement of long-standing residents, cultural homogenization, and the loss of community identity, posing significant challenges to social inclusion and equitable development.

Economic Hub

The economic hub of a city represents the pulsating heart of commerce, innovation, and opportunity. It is a dynamic ecosystem where businesses thrive, employment opportunities abound, and economic growth takes center stage. Examining a city’s economic center reveals the complex interactions between several elements that support the city’s economy.

• Employment Opportunities and Economic Growth: At the core of the economic hub lies the engine of employment generation and economic growth. Cities attract a diverse talent pool, offering many job opportunities across industries. The concentration of businesses, both large corporations and small enterprises, fosters innovation, productivity, and economic resilience. Economic growth in cities often outpaces rural areas, creating a magnetic pull for individuals seeking employment and career advancement.
• Business and Innovation Centers: Business districts and innovation centers often characterize economic hubs as epicenters for entrepreneurship and technological advancement. Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and other renowned business districts worldwide exemplify the convergence of financial, technological, and creative industries. These hubs drive economic growth and propel global innovation, shaping the future of various sectors.
• Global Connectivity and Trade: Cities with a robust economic hub invariably connect to global markets. International airports, seaports, and advanced transportation networks facilitate the movement of goods, services, and professionals, enhancing a city’s role in global trade. As conduits for international commerce, economic hubs contribute to the city’s economic prosperity and stature on the world stage.
• Challenges of Urban Poverty and Inequality: Economic hubs often grapple with urban poverty and income inequality challenges despite economic prosperity. The concentration of wealth can lead to disparities in living standards, access to education, and healthcare. Balancing economic growth with social equity becomes a critical challenge, necessitating inclusive policies, affordable housing initiatives, and social welfare programs.
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Economic hubs foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, attracting individuals with creative ideas and a drive for success. Incubators, co-working spaces, and research institutions provide fertile ground for startups and new ventures. This innovation culture propels economic growth and positions the city as a hub for cutting-edge industrial developments.
• Diversification of Industries: Resilient economic hubs understand the importance of diversifying industries to mitigate risks and adapt to changing economic landscapes. Cities that successfully balance traditional industries with emerging sectors ensure sustained economic growth and competitiveness.

Infrastructure and Urban Development

Infrastructure and urban development constitute the backbone of cities, shaping their physical, social, and economic landscapes. The planning, construction, and maintenance of essential facilities and services are pivotal in determining the functionality, sustainability, and quality of life within urban environments. Exploring the realm of infrastructure and urban development unveils the intricate interplay of systems and structures that define modern cities.

• Transportation Networks: Efficient transportation is fundamental to urban development, connecting people, goods, and services. Comprehensive and well-maintained transportation networks, including roads, bridges, public transit, and cycling infrastructure, alleviate traffic congestion, reduce commute times, and enhance accessibility. Integrating smart technologies and sustainable transportation solutions promotes environmental conservation and urban livability.
• Housing and Living Conditions: Adequate housing is a cornerstone of urban development, influencing residents’ well-being and overall quality of life. Urban planning should address diverse housing needs, from affordable housing options to sustainable, mixed-use developments. Balancing density with green spaces, promoting affordable housing initiatives, and implementing inclusive zoning policies contribute to creating vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods.
• Urban Planning and Sustainability: Thoughtful urban planning is essential for creating sustainable, resilient cities. Planners must consider land use, zoning regulations, and green spaces to mitigate environmental impact and balance economic development and ecological preservation. Sustainable architecture, energy-efficient buildings, and green infrastructure initiatives contribute to environmentally responsible urban development.
• Water and Sanitation Systems: Reliable water and sanitation infrastructure are critical for public health and urban resilience. Adequate water supply systems, sewage treatment plants, and waste management programs ensure clean, safe living conditions. As cities face water scarcity and climate change challenges, innovative solutions, such as water recycling and stormwater management, become integral to sustainable urban development.
• Technological Integration: Integrating technology in urban infrastructure, known as smart city initiatives, enhances efficiency and connectivity. Technological innovations maximize resource use, streamline services, and increase urban operation. Examples of these include smart grids, energy management systems, intelligent traffic control, and data-driven governance.
• Green Spaces and Recreational Areas: Accessible green spaces contribute to the well-being of urban residents, providing recreational opportunities and promoting a sense of community. Urban development should prioritize parks, gardens, and other green infrastructure to enhance residents’ physical and mental health . Integrating nature into the urban fabric fosters sustainability and creates aesthetically pleasing environments.
• Cultural and Educational Facilities: Cities flourish when they offer cultural and educational amenities. Museums, libraries, theaters, and educational institutions contribute to urban life’s intellectual and cultural vibrancy. Planning for such facilities ensures cities become centers of learning, creativity, and cultural exchange.

Work-Life Balance in Urban Settings

Work-life balance in urban settings refers to the equilibrium between professional responsibilities and personal well-being that residents strive to achieve within urban environments. Work, commuting, and daily living pressures can frequently result in stress, burnout, and difficulties striking a healthy balance between work and personal life as cities develop and urbanization increases.

• Work Pressure and Commuting: Work in metropolitan environments can be intensely fast-paced, with long hours and rigorous schedules typical of many industries. Commuting in cities can increase stress and take up time that people could spend on hobbies, family time, or other personal pursuits in densely populated places with significant traffic congestion.
• Technology and Connectivity: Technological advancements have made it harder for urban dwellers to put work-related chores on hold outside of regular office hours, blurring the lines between work and personal life. The prevalence of smartphones, laptops, and remote work arrangements means that individuals may feel compelled to remain connected and accessible at all times, potentially encroaching on personal time and leisure activities.
• Urban Lifestyle and Social Pressures: The vibrant social scene and cultural offerings in urban areas can be enriching and overwhelming. Urban dwellers may feel pressure to constantly engage in social activities, attend events, and keep up with the fast-paced urban lifestyle, often at the expense of personal downtime and relaxation.
• Access to Amenities and Services: On the flip side, cities also offer a wealth of amenities and services that can enhance work-life balance for residents. Access to recreational facilities, green spaces, cultural events, and entertainment venues provides opportunities for relaxation, socializing, and pursuing personal interests outside of work commitments.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: A growing number of urban businesses are realizing the value of work-life balance and implementing telecommuting choices, flexible work schedules, and alternative scheduling practices to meet the varied demands and preferences of their workforce. Remote work opportunities and flexible hours can empower individuals to manage their time better and achieve a healthier balance between work and personal life.
• Prioritizing Health and Well-being: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance requires prioritizing physical and mental well-being. Urban dwellers can meet the demands of urban living by exercising, practicing mindfulness, taking up a hobby, and spending quality time with friends and family.
• Urban Planning and Community Design: Thoughtful urban planning and community design can be crucial in promoting work-life balance. Creating walkable neighborhoods, enhancing access to public transportation, and designing mixed-use developments that integrate residential, commercial, and recreational spaces can foster a more balanced lifestyle and reduce dependency on long commutes and car-centric living.

Challenges and Opportunities

From addressing pressing issues to harnessing the potential for positive change , cities are both battlegrounds and laboratories for innovation and progress.

City life epitomizes a dynamic interplay of opportunities and challenges woven into the fabric of modern existence. While urban environments offer unparalleled cultural richness, economic vitality, and social diversity, they also present complexities such as congestion, inequality, and environmental degradation . Yet, within these complexities lie the seeds of innovation, resilience, and human connection. City life thrives on the resilience of its inhabitants, the vibrancy of its communities, and the spirit of progress. As cities evolve, nurturing inclusive, sustainable, and livable environments remains paramount, ensuring that urban landscapes remain vibrant centers of creativity, opportunity, and human flourishing.

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Family Matters: Improving Inner-city Neighborhoods

Subscribe to the center for economic security and opportunity newsletter, ron haskins ron haskins senior fellow emeritus - economic studies.

March 9, 2010

Peter Edelman’s essay on improving inner-city neighborhoods contains both interesting history and a host of reasonable proposals . However, it lacks an emphasis on the major cause of problems in the inner city: personal responsibility, by which I mean the drive to finish school, shun delinquency and crime, avoid pregnancy before marriage, work steadily, stay off of welfare, and form a family through marriage. And while the policies he recommends lack evidence that they would actually work, policies that promote personal responsibility suffer from no such problem, even in the inner city. The task for the Obama Administration, and for all of us who care about improving America’s worst neighborhoods, is to expand such programs while simultaneously implementing and testing new neighborhood programs of the type recommended by Edelman.

Poverty is not the only salient feature of the types of inner-city neighborhoods that worry Edelman. Along with high levels of poverty, the worst neighborhoods also have numerous signs of social disorder. Crime and physical blight are the most apparent, but they are accompanied by low work levels among the residents, soaring high school dropout rates, low marriage rates, and high rates of non-marital births. It bears emphasis that each of these behaviors is partially or fully under the control of the residents themselves. The biggest failure of previous policies, including those proposed by Senator Robert Kennedy that are reviewed so colorfully by Edelman, was that they did too little to emphasize the importance of personal responsibility in converting inner-city neighborhoods into decent places to live.

The expansion of opportunity in America depends on principled behavior combined with wise government policies. Unfortunately, neither side of the aisle seems to fully accept this insight: Policies favored by conservatives tend to place too much emphasis on individual responsibility, while policies favored by liberals place too much emphasis on government programs. Progress will result only when the best ideas from both camps are employed to formulate policy and guide practice.

In our recently published book, Creating an Opportunity Society , my Brookings colleague Isabel Sawhill and I analyze data from the Census Bureau to show that if young people finish high school, get a job, and get married before they have children, they have about a 2 percent chance of falling into poverty and nearly a 75 percent chance of joining the middle class by earning $50,000 or more per year.

As Edelman says, we have learned a lot from previous policies. But both the data I would emphasize and the lessons I draw differ from his. As far back as the 1980s, writers such as Ken Auletta, Leon Dash, and Alex Kotlowitz wrote perspicaciously about what Auletta called the “underclass.” All these authors spent considerable time in these neighborhoods and all emphasized the multiple social problems from which the resident populations suffered. But at the outset of his seminal book The Underclass, Auletta stated my theme in stark terms:

While I don’t believe in pink pills and panaceas, I do believe in making a concerted effort to help the underclass…I came to believe members of the underclass could not succeed without practicing self-help, but I also believe they usually need a helping hand.

In 1990, given the economist’s penchant to define concisely and measure, Erol Ricketts and Sawhill used Census Bureau data to go beyond mere poverty; instead, they defined underclass neighborhoods in behavioral terms. For them, underclass neighborhoods are those well above the national average in school dropout rates, female-headed families, households on public assistance, and able-bodied men not in the labor force.

Using the Ricketts-Sawhill behavioral definition or variations thereof, researchers such as Ron Mincy and Paul Jargowsky found that these underclass neighborhoods grew rapidly in the 1970s and continued growing, albeit more slowly, in the 1980s. But then, surprisingly, a study by Sawhill and Jargowsky published in 2006 found a sharp drop in the number of underclass neighborhoods in the 1990s. Viewed through the lens of the Ricketts-Sawhill underclass definition, the decline tracked closely the sharp fall in welfare dependency. Correlation may not be causation, but it is suggestive: In the mid-1990s, the Republican Congress and President Clinton reformed welfare by strongly encouraging recipients, mostly mothers, to leave welfare for work. Mothers who did not work or prepare for work had their benefits reduced or even terminated. Further, states that failed to place half their caseload in jobs or work programs were fined. The result was that for the first time ever, the nation’s cash welfare rolls underwent a sustained decline, falling by 50 percent or more in most states. More to the point, employment among poorly educated mothers increased dramatically –between 1995 and 2000, the percentage of never-married mothers with jobs increased by an astounding 44 percent. The importance of personal responsibility was made clear.

But responsible behavior by mothers formerly on welfare or who avoided welfare is only half the story. True, this explosion of employment by never-married mothers, a demographic group with among the highest poverty rates and lowest employment rates in the nation, was unprecedented. But the most reasonable explanation of their rising employment goes beyond welfare reform. Between roughly the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s, a series of Congresses – usually on a bipartisan basis – and a series of Democratic and Republican presidents greatly improved the system of federal programs that provides support to low-income workers, notably mothers leaving welfare. These work support programs, including two tax credits, food stamps, health insurance, and child care, were reformed, expanded, or created out of whole cloth to help low-income workers escape poverty.

Yet serious challenges remain. No family can escape poverty unless it has at least one worker. The combined value of cash welfare and food stamps is less than $11,000 in the typical state, compared with a poverty level of about $17,000 for a family of three. There is no chance that Congress will dramatically increase welfare payments in the foreseeable future to enable families to escape poverty, and so basic arithmetic tells us that adults simply have to work if their families are to escape poverty.

Unfortunately, as much as we would like to think that employment and training programs can help low-income workers achieve new skills and move up the wage distribution ladder, the evidence is not encouraging. The failure of most of the mothers leaving welfare to increase their earnings substantially over time is simply the latest example of how modestly effective employment and training programs have been since they were first tried on a large scale in the late 1960s. The nation will continue to have millions of low-wage workers for the foreseeable future, many of them mothers who in the past would have been on welfare. Research shows that they will earn about $8 or $9 an hour on average. Most will find it difficult, because of the short-term nature of their jobs, the prevalence of part-time jobs, and their penchant for changing jobs, to work full-time and year-round. And most will have trouble moving up the earnings scale.

Government, therefore, will need to provide them with work-contingent benefits. Otherwise, we will be letting them and their children remain in poverty, despite their best efforts. A major tenet of American social policy should be that poorly educated parents who work full time or close to full time shouldn’t live in poverty. The combination of increased personal responsibility demonstrated by the poor who eschew welfare in favor of work, plus the work support system developed over the past two decades or so by both federal and state governments, has made this goal a reality for millions of formerly poor families.

Should Edelman’s focus on neighborhood programs be ignored? Not at all – especially if the programs focus on improving inner-city schools, remodeling housing, creating mixed-income neighborhoods, and helping inner-city residents qualify for and find work, as he proposes. There is some reason to believe that neighborhood programs of these types could provide a useful supplement to the proven effective strategy of combining work requirements with generous work support programs to increase work levels and income. The problem is that we have been trying to implement effective neighborhood strategies for several decades and still lack persuasive evidence that they increase family well-being or children’s development, or that they reduce any of the Ricketts-Sawhill markers of underclass neighborhoods.

Read the complete article »

Economic Studies

Center for Economic Security and Opportunity

Tara Watson, Simon Hodson

September 11, 2024

Jeffrey C. Fuhrer

July 29, 2024

Quinn Sanderson

July 9, 2024

What’s the biggest threat facing cities?

Politico’s survey of experts leaves out the most important challenges, in our humble opinion.

A couple of weeks back, Politco, the wonky-insider beltway news source queried a dozen of the nation’s urban thought leaders about the biggest crises facing cities in the years ahead. “ What’s the greatest risk that cities face ?

Mayors, Governors, scholars, think tank denizens and others all offered up their thoughts. It’s a classic summertime policy expert listicle. But what should be a slam dunk actually falls short of putting its finger on the real threats.

But let us start from offering our own “greatest risks”–which are unfortunately missing from Politico’s litany.

First, there’s the issue of concentrated poverty . Our work–and the work of innumerable scholars of far greater pedigree–confirms that concentrated poverty is one of the most pernicious and growing blights on the nation’s cities. As bad as it is to be poor anywhere, all of the negative effects of poverty are amplified when one lives in a neighborhood where a high fraction of one’s neighbors are also poor. Crime is higher, public services are worse, education and economic prospects are slim. The work of Raj Chetty , and others shows that kids growing up in these neighborhoods have permanently lower life prospects as a result. Breaking down concentrated poverty–which has actually been increasing–is the greatest risk for many cities. The closest anyone came was former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, who framed the issue as one of income inequality, a related, but actually different problem.

To that we can add a second, and related problem: housing affordability . The growing demand for urban living has pushed up rents in many of the nation’s cities, and and is a challenge both to economic growth and opportunity.

And surprisingly, as long as we’re talking about great risks, its remarkable that no one mentioned climate change . Climate change is arguably an existential threat to civilization, and cities have a key role–due to their inherent greenness–in fashioning a solution.

Of the risks to cities flagged by Politico’s experts, we were most impressed by the case made by Brookings Institution’s Jennifer Bradley.  She makes a subtle but important point about the the civic commons.  Too often, we’ve let “public” become a synonym for second rate. Bradley makes a strong case that we need to do better in the public realm, and make cities, and public spaces and public services places of pride and utility for everyone:

America’s cities have never fully realized their promise of opportunity and integration, but to the extent that mixing and advancement happens, it is supported by a robust public realm where people can come together and know each other as fellow residents; by strong public schools that prepare a city’s children and introduce them to each other; by extensive public transit that overcomes neighborhood isolation. Public shouldn’t mean “for use by the poor.” It should mean “for the good of all of us.”

Other problems are real and deserve mention.  Former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and Manhattan Institute Fellow Stephen Malanga appropriately reminds us that too many cities have massive unfunded pension liabilities that threaten their ability to provide public services. Former Memphis Mayor A. C. Wharton points out that conservative state legislatures have greatly limited the ability of cities to tackle important urban problems by preempting their authority. Brookings’ Amy Liu points out the big gap in labor market outcomes between whites and most people of color (a serious problem, that is more than just urban).

Bruce Katz–also of Brookings–calls out Washington DC as the threat to cities, and argues for greater local initiative: cities can’t wait for Washington to solve their problems. We agree that Washington DC is a threat to cities, but not for this reason. So much of what the federal government does, in tax policy, in maintaining (or dismantling) the social safety net, is likely to have enormous impacts on cities. For example, if the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is shredded, cities will be left to deal with a growing population of uninsured . Similarly, if the Federal Reserve decides that we’re at full employment, and starts reining in the economy . every city’s economic development problems will become that much more difficult.

David Dudley, who edits CityLab, points out that the advent of autonomous vehicles could pose as big a threat to cities as did the automobile a century ago. We think he has a good point. And as technological issues goes, we think this is a much more pressing problem than the presence of so-called broadband deserts (which are the threat identified by the New America Foundation, which not surprisingly,

But some of what experts have labeled threats strike us as, at best pet peeves. Winner for most obscure–and probably imaginary threat–skyscrapers. Saskia Sassen seems to think we’re imperiled by tall buildings. (Given the effects of single family zoning on housing affordability and economic segregation, we’re inclined to think that the reverse is true:  our cities are imperiled more by too many short buildings than too many tall ones.)  Harvard’s Diane Davis and Lily Song lament the present unevenness in the uptake of new mobility services like ride-hailing and bike sharing (but this inequity strikes us as wholly subsidiary to the dominance of private auto transportation in most cities).

Regardless of whether you agree with us (or any of Politico’s experts) its a great question to reflect on in the summer: What are the greatest risks confronting cities in the year or years ahead.

We’ve got our list: economic segregation, housing affordability, climate change and revitalizing the civic commons.  What’s yours?

Related Commentary

• THE CITIES ISSUE

How the pros and cons of city living vary around the world

Every day, more people become city dwellers. The challenge of urban existence is to balance its benefits and its drawbacks.

For most of the six million years of human evolution , all humans and protohumans lived like somewhat glorified chimpanzees , at low population densities, scattered over the landscape as families or small bands. Only within the past 6,000 years, a small fraction of human history, did some of our ancestors come together in cities. But today more than half the world’s people live in these new settings, some of which have tens of millions of inhabitants.

Urban life involves trade-offs. We may gain big benefits in return for suffering big disadvantages. Let’s consider two of them: the trade-off between individual freedom and community interests, and the trade-off between social ties and anonymity.

To understand the issue of freedom, take first the city of Singapore , in effect one of the world’s most densely populated micro-countries. Singapore’s nearly six million people are packed into about 250 square miles—230 times the average U.S. population density. It’s an Asian financial center, a major port on one of the world’s busiest shipping straits, and a tiny piece of prime real estate wedged between two giant, powerful neighbors, Indonesia and Malaysia. Singapore was part of Malaysia until 1965, when economic and racial tensions spurred its separation. But Singapore depends on Malaysia for most of its water and much of its food, and can’t afford to make mistakes or provoke its neighbors.

Singapore citizens’ bargain with their government: less individual freedom in return for First World living standards.

So Singapore’s government monitors its citizens closely, to make sure that individuals don’t harm the community. Inspectors check for water standing in each household’s pots, lest they furnish breeding sites for disease-transmitting mosquitoes. Smart-technology sensors measure (or will measure) the traffic on every street, the movements of every car, and the temperatures of and shadows cast by buildings. They also will track the water and electricity consumption of every household and will note the time whenever a household toilet is flushed. Americans may view such measures with horror, as George Orwell’s novel 1984 come true. But for Singapore’s citizens, it’s the bargain that they have made with their government: less individual freedom in return for First World living standards, health, and security.

Next consider Germany’s cities, also densely populated. Local governments have rules about the shapes and colors of tiles that Germans may use on their houses’ roofs, and about the sizes and ages of trees that they can or can’t cut down on their property. To obtain a fishing license, Germans must attend many hours of fishing classes, then pass a 60-question exam. Most Americans would bristle at such restrictions. But benefits to German communities include beautiful regional architecture , green cities, government support for the arts, and healthy fish populations.

At the opposite extreme comes my own city of Los Angeles, where rights of the individual property owner are prized as sacred. The result is a free-for-all, in which many individuals and communities suffer disadvantages. Almost any style of house is permissible; local architectural character is nonexistent. Tree cover is vanishing, temperatures are rising, and landowners’ excavated dirt and sprayed pesticides end up on neighbors’ property. To fish in the local bay waters, anyone can buy a fishing license—no questions asked—so of course fish populations decline.

The outcomes of trade-offs differ for Singapore, Germany, and L.A. because different geographies and histories have led to different customs. Population density is highest in Singapore, intermediate in Germany, lowest in the United States (including California). China—whence the ancestors of most of Singapore’s population arrived—has had cities for five millennia, Germany for two millennia, the United States for just a few centuries. Chinese traditional farming is communal; Germans have close-packed individual farms; and U.S. frontier settlements had self-sufficient, widely scattered families. The cultural legacies of those differences live on today.

Another issue of urban life is the trade-off between social ties and anonymity. Traditional living arrangements still practiced today in rural areas of New Guinea, where I’ve been working since the 1960s, resemble those formerly practiced in pre-urban Western societies. New Guinea villagers live out their lives where they were born, constantly surrounded by lifelong friends and social support.

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A first reaction of many lonely, urban Americans is: How heartwarmingly wonderful! When New Guinea villagers move to cities, they find themselves surrounded by strangers, their friends few or recent or scattered across the city. The frequent results are unhappy isolation, decline of social support, and proliferation of urban crime.

Still, we American city dwellers shouldn’t romanticize traditional village living arrangements. My New Guinea friends tell me that those arrangements are also socially suffocating, and limit individuals’ abilities to realize their potential. In New Guinea villages, everybody knows, constantly watches, and incessantly discusses what everybody else is doing.

As a result, a New Guinea friend who spent years living in a U.S. city loved it—because (as she told me) she could sit alone and read a newspaper in peaceful anonymity in a sidewalk café, without being importuned by fellow clan members asking her for money and bewailing their troubles. New Guineans have learned to appreciate the modern urban inventions of opaque bags and trouser pockets—because those inventions permit them to conceal things from neighbors and thereby to acquire small luxuries without becoming targets of village comment. Thus, New Guineans recognize drawbacks as well as heartwarming benefits of village life. They also understand the benefits, not just the pains, of urban anonymity.

It all comes down to compromises. As the world becomes increasingly urban, will all of us be forced to adopt more of Singapore’s solutions? If a government meter that records every flushing of your toilet is part of the price you’d have to pay for living in safety, health, affluence, and beautiful surroundings, what would you choose?

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Problem of people living in big cities

Topic: People living in big cities face several problems. What are these problems? Should governments encourage people to move to smaller town?

Nowadays, the majority of world population is living in urban areas. While many people associate city life with prosperity, urban dwellers actually have to experience various difficulties, including crime and environmental pollution. From my perspective , governments should use counter-urbanization as a measure to ease the aforementioned problems. One of the common issues with living in a city is crime. For a violent crime to occur, there must be a culprit and a victim. In a highly populated area, the risk of encountering a mob is much higher than that of a small town. Additionally, if the culprit feels protected by the anonymity that a large city provides, he may commit more wrongdoings . Furthermore, air pollution is also a prevalent issue in major cities. Surface transportation is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause respiratory problems to the people. This problem is exacerbated by the sheer number of vehicles commuting daily in the city. In my opinion, to tackle both the issues above , governments should promote the migration from urban areas to rural ones. As the population density of a metropolitan area is reduced, so do crimes and air pollution. However, city dwellers have their reasons to stay in urban places, such as to enjoy education and job opportunities. This is why governments need to step in because only they can introduce rural development policies . If countryside areas have better infrastructures, people will find less incentive to live in big cities. In conclusion, crime and air pollution are two of the various problems of urban life. I believe that urban-to-rural migration, promoted by governments, is an appropriate solution for those issues.

(273 words)

(This model essay is written by Anh Tran - an administrator of Let’s Write Something .)

-------------

This is a two-part question essay, formed by mixing a cause-solution essay and an opinion essay. Such a question type may appear frequently in the future.  

Sample essay band 6.0:

Despite a facilitated lifestyle, the urban populas seems to deal with certain difficulties. This essay will discuss those associateted isseues, and whether or not the governments should promote smaller towns as an alternative for major cities. Although, the people living in populated areas are able to avail lucrative oppurtunities in fields of education, employment and enterntainment somehow, there are some issues to be dealth with. First of all, the most nototrious is; traffic congestion, as the number of vehicles on roads is increasing, and there is no solution to it yet. Causing air and noise polution, the greatest drivers in manipulating human's mental and physical health. Another worth mentioning worry is, unemployment. As more and more people are leaving their hometowns in search of jobs; the city populas is swelling up day by day.    As far as the government role is concerned, it seems that it could help lessen the problems faced by urban habitants. To illustrate, the authorities should start housing schemes in smaller towns to divert public attention towards smaller towns. Also, providing health and job facilities within one's hometown could persuade people to stay there more. In addition, factories and hospital buildings ahould be moved into remote areas to support rural living. To conclude, infact people do fantasize about living in larger cities; to dwell among advanced living standards, but when after moving in they have to encounter certain problems. To tackle the situation, government should step in, and design solid schemes to stop urban crawl. It should initiate plans to ease urban inhabitants and inspire them to move into smaller settlements.

(Written by Nadia Syed)

Corrected Essay  

Despite a facilitated comfortable lifestyle, the urban populas populace seems to deal with certain difficulties. This essay will discuss those associateted associated isseues issues , and whether or not the governments should promote smaller towns as an alternative for to major cities for citizens .

“ Facilitated ” isn’t usually used as an adjective, especially when going with “lifestyle”. The correct collocation here is “ comfortable lifestyle ”.

There are many typographic errors in this essay, such as “ associateted” . Generally, in the IELTS exam, one-time mistakes are considered as “slips”, and they will not hamper your final score too much (unless they occur very frequently).

However, repeated errors like “ populas ” are treated differently. There is no English word like that, only “ popuplation ”, or “ populace ”, with the former being much more prevalent. It looks the author is trying too hard to paraphrase the keyword “population”, without any success.

The phrase “ the governments should promote smaller towns as an alternative for major cities ” is ambiguous. It is not clear who should use smaller towns instead of using major cities (“citizens”).

Although , the people living in populated areas are able to avail lucrative great oppurtunities opportunities in fields terms of education, employment and enterntainment entertainment somehow , there are some issues to be dealth dealt with. First of all, the most nototrious notorious one is ; traffic congestion, as the number of vehicles on roads is increasing, and there is no solution to it yet. Causing air and noise polution pollution , it is the greatest drivers a major factor in manipulating undermining human's mental and physical health. Another worth mentioning worry is , unemployment. As more and more people are leaving their hometowns in search of jobs; the city populas population is swelling increasing up day by day.

Don’t use a comma right ater a “to be”, or a subordinating conjunction (like “although”). Usually, a comma is used to separated two clauses.

“ Lucrative ” does not go along with “opportunity”.

The correct word choice here is “ in terms of ”, not “ in fields of ”, as shown in Google Ngram .

“ Swelling ” means “become bigger in size”, not “an increase in terms of number or amount”. A population isn’t something like a cake, it doesn’t have a definite size.

The author has provided two issue of urban life: traffic and unemployment. Each idea is also supported by a following sentence.

As far long as the government role is concerned, it seems that it could help lessen the problems faced by urban habitants dwellers . To illustrate, the authorities should start housing schemes in smaller towns to divert public attention towards smaller towns. Also, providing health and job facilities within one's hometown could persuade people to stay there more. In addition to this , factories and hospital buildings ahould should be moved into remote areas to support rural living lives .

“ As far as ” means “for as great a distance as”. The correct word choice is “ as long as ”.

“Habitant”, or “inhabitant” do not go with “urban”. Most of the time, “ urban dweller ” is the correct choice, as shown in Ngram . If you are not sure which is the correct term, then even an elementary choice like “city people” is fine. Making mistakes is much, much worse that using a non-advanced word.

To conclude, infact in fact people do fantasize about living in larger cities; to dwell among advanced living standards, but when after after when moving in , they have to encounter certain problems. To tackle the situation, government governments should step in, and design solid propose schemes to stop urban crawl urban growth . It should initiate implement plans to ease urban inhabitants dwellers, and inspire them to move into smaller settlements.

This conclusion is consistent with the ideas in two Body Paragraphs. This means a decent score in terms of Coherence.

When talking about “scheme” as in “policy’, then the correct collocation is not “ to design a scheme ”, but rather “ to propose a scheme ”. And this word does not go along with “ solid ”.

Words: 265.

Overall: 6.0

Task Response: 7

addresses all parts of the task (the author has written more than 250 words, and answered all the topic questions)

presents a clear position throughout the response (the conclusion is clear and on-point)

presents, extends and supports main ideas, but there may be a tendency to overgeneralise and/or supporting ideas may lack focus

Coherence and Cohesion: 7

logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout

uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use (“despite”, “although”, “first of all”, “another”, “to illustrate”, “also”)

presents a clear central topic within each paragraph (the author developed each paragraph with a topic sentence and some branching sentences)

Lexical Resource: 5

uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task

may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader (various spelling errors leads to a 5 here)

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: 5

uses only a limited range of structures attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences

may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader (there are many punctuation errors)

(This essay correction is done by Anh Tran - an administrator of Let’s Write Something .)

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Urbanization — Causes and Effects of Urbanisation

Causes and Effects of Urbanisation

• Categories: Urbanization

About this sample

Words: 1713 |

Published: Oct 11, 2018

Words: 1713 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Table of contents

Industrialisation, social benefits and services, modernization and changes in the mode of living, rural-urban transformation, technological and infrastructural advancements, housing problems, development of slums, traffic congestion, provision of essential services.

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Problems of Karachi Essay | 200 & 500 Words

by Pakiology | Aug 21, 2024 | Essay | 0 comments

Explore the multifaceted challenges faced by Karachi in this comprehensive essay. From overpopulation to traffic congestion, and water scarcity to political instability, discover the key issues affecting this bustling metropolis in our “Problems of Karachi Essay | 200 & 500 Words.”

Problems of Karachi Essay 200 Words

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, grapples with a myriad of complex issues that impact its diverse population, including students. Overpopulation, a pressing concern, strains resources, and infrastructure, leading to housing shortages and traffic congestion. The latter not only wastes valuable time but also contributes to air pollution and economic disruptions.

The city’s infrastructure is in decay, with potholed roads and inadequate public transport hindering students’ daily commute. Moreover, a severe water crisis, unequal water distribution, and contamination pose health risks, particularly for children. Energy shortages disrupt students’ study routines and hamper economic growth.

Political instability, ethnic tensions, and corruption further compound Karachi’s problems. Crime and security concerns, from street crimes to extortion threats, disrupt daily life and education. Environmental degradation, including air pollution and coastal erosion, jeopardizes the city’s future.

Educational challenges, such as limited access and varying educational quality, add to the city’s woes. The digital divide, highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, has exacerbated educational disparities.

In conclusion, Karachi faces a complex web of problems that affect students and residents alike, ranging from overpopulation and traffic congestion to water scarcity, political instability, and educational challenges. Addressing these issues requires collective efforts to ensure a better and more livable future for all in this vibrant metropolis.

Problems of Karachi Essay 500 Words

Introduction.

Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan and its economic hub, is a bustling metropolis known for its vibrant culture, diverse population, and economic opportunities. However, beneath its surface lies a myriad of complex and pressing problems that impact the daily lives of its residents. This essay aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the problems faced by Karachi, catering to all types of students, ranging from school to college levels.

I. Overpopulation

One of the most glaring issues plaguing Karachi is overpopulation. With a population of over 14 million (as of my last knowledge update in September 2021), Karachi is Pakistan’s most populous city. This rapid population growth has resulted in various challenges:

A. Housing Shortage: The city lacks adequate housing facilities to accommodate its ever-growing population. This has led to the emergence of informal settlements, commonly known as katchi abadis, characterized by substandard living conditions and a lack of basic amenities.

B. Strain on Infrastructure: Overpopulation places immense stress on infrastructure, including roads, public transport, and utilities. Traffic congestion is a daily ordeal for residents, leading to time wastage and increased air pollution.

C. Resource Scarcity: Overpopulation exacerbates the scarcity of essential resources such as water and electricity, leading to frequent shortages and increased prices.

II. Traffic Congestion

Karachi’s traffic congestion is a problem that affects everyone, from schoolchildren to working professionals. The city’s road infrastructure is inadequate to support its population’s vehicular needs, resulting in numerous issues:

A. Time Wastage: Commuters in Karachi often spend hours stuck in traffic, leading to productivity losses and stressful daily routines.

B. Air Pollution: Prolonged traffic congestion contributes to air pollution, which poses serious health risks to residents, particularly children and the elderly.

C. Economic Impact: Traffic congestion has a negative impact on the city’s economy as it disrupts the movement of goods and services, increasing costs for businesses and consumers.

III. Infrastructure Decay

The deteriorating state of Karachi’s infrastructure is a critical issue that affects students and the general population alike:

A. Poor Road Conditions: Many of Karachi’s roads are in disrepair, riddled with potholes and cracks, which not only cause traffic congestion but also pose safety hazards for commuters.

B. Inadequate Public Transport: The city’s public transportation system is outdated and inefficient, making it challenging for students to commute to schools and colleges.

C. Sanitation Problems: Karachi faces sanitation issues due to inadequate waste management infrastructure. This leads to unhygienic conditions that can contribute to the spread of diseases.

IV. Water Crisis

Access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental right, but Karachi faces a severe water crisis:

A. Unequal Distribution: Water is distributed inequitably across the city, with some areas receiving a more consistent supply than others. This disparity affects students’ ability to study and maintain good hygiene.

B. Contamination: Contaminated water sources in some parts of Karachi pose health risks, especially for children, who are more susceptible to waterborne diseases.

C. Groundwater Depletion: The over-extraction of groundwater has led to a decline in the water table, further exacerbating the water crisis.

V. Energy Shortages

Karachi, like many parts of Pakistan, grapples with energy shortages:

A. Frequent Load Shedding: Unplanned load shedding disrupts students’ study routines, making it difficult to rely on consistent electricity for lighting and electronic devices.

B. Economic Impact: Energy shortages also have a significant economic impact, affecting businesses and industries in Karachi, which, in turn, affects job opportunities for college graduates.

VI. Political Instability

Political instability has a far-reaching impact on Karachi’s problems:

A. Governance Challenges: Frequent changes in local and provincial governments have hindered long-term planning and the implementation of sustainable solutions to the city’s problems.

B. Ethnic Tensions: Karachi is known for its ethnic diversity, but political instability has sometimes fueled ethnic tensions, leading to violence and disruptions in daily life.

C. Corruption: Corruption within the bureaucracy can hinder development projects and the equitable distribution of resources.

VII. Crime and Security

Crime and security issues in Karachi are a concern for students and residents alike:

A. Street Crimes: Incidents of street crimes, such as theft and muggings, can make students and their families anxious about their safety.

B. Extortion: Some businesses and individuals face extortion threats, impacting their ability to operate freely.

C. Impact on Education: Security concerns can disrupt education, making it difficult for students to attend school or college regularly.

VIII. Environmental Degradation

Karachi’s environment is deteriorating rapidly, which can have long-term consequences for students:

A. Air Pollution: High levels of air pollution can lead to respiratory problems, affecting students’ health and concentration in school.

B. Coastal Degradation: Karachi’s coastline is under threat due to industrial pollution and unplanned development, impacting its natural beauty and ecosystem.

C. Climate Change: Karachi is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and sea-level rise, which can have far-reaching consequences for students’ lives.

IX. Educational Challenges

Finally, Karachi faces unique educational challenges:

A. Limited Access: Many children in the city, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, struggle to access quality education due to a lack of schools and resources.

B. Quality of Education: Even when schools are available, the quality of education varies widely, affecting students’ academic development.

C. Digital Divide: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the digital divide in Karachi, where many students lacked access to online learning resources.

In conclusion, Karachi, Pakistan’s largest and most populous city, faces a multitude of interconnected problems that affect students and residents of all ages. These problems include overpopulation, traffic congestion, infrastructure decay, water and energy shortages, political instability, crime and security issues, environmental degradation, and educational challenges. Solving these issues requires concerted efforts from government authorities, civil society, and citizens. It is crucial for students to be aware of these problems and actively engage in finding solutions, as they represent the city’s future. Karachi’s challenges are immense, but with the right approach and commitment, they can be overcome to create a better and more livable city for all its residents.

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