The Bronx: A History of Urban Decline

In the summer of 1973, the Bronx was facing a crisis as a result of the Cross Bronx Expressway, a metropolitan highway in New York City. Designed by Robert Moses, the project cost $40 million and took 24 years to complete. The construction of the expressway led to the demolition of around 60,000 buildings and the displacement of approximately 160,000 residents, mostly descendants of Italians and Poles. The influx of new immigrants, mainly Dominicans and Latin Americans, further exacerbated tensions in the area.

Starting from 1968, gang violence became a significant issue in the Bronx, particularly fueled by racial tensions and the presence of youth gangs like Bronx River and Black Spades representing African Americans, Ghetto Brothers and Roman Kings representing Hispanics, and Golden Guineas representing Italians. Gang territories were strictly divided, leading to violent confrontations and restrictions on movement between neighborhoods.

By 1971, escalating gang violence prompted local gang leaders to seek a truce for restoring order in the streets. The Decault and Avenue Peace Meeting held on December 8 at the Boys Club marked a turning point in easing tensions and promoting collective efforts towards improving living conditions in the neighborhood. Initiatives like graffiti art and gang activities were partly influenced by misguided urban policies like the 'planned shrinkage' concept proposed by Roger Star, which aimed to reduce services in deteriorating areas.

Service cuts in the Bronx, including interruptions in subway services, garbage collection, school closures, and lack of public lighting, led to residents abandoning their homes. This resulted in a complex environmental situation where many schools were closed, leaving hundreds of students unable to reach distant schools, forcing them to wander the streets amidst the rubble.

In the absence of proper family support, gangs in the Bronx became a surrogate family for young individuals. These gangs not only replaced authorities in maintaining public order but also combated drug trafficking. However, they also posed a threat, contributing to the Bronx's negative reputation and being identified with alarming nicknames like 'the city of the spear' and 'the state cancer.'

The decline of the Bronx neighborhood culminated in the 'white flight,' where many property owners witnessed a decrease in property values and profits. This led to a lack of investment in building maintenance and safety, resulting in deliberate arson incidents to claim insurance money. The phenomenon of intentional fires spread, with owners setting their own properties ablaze to acquire funds for purchasing homes in other areas of New York City.

Arson incidents in the Bronx reached alarming levels, with owners resorting to setting fire to their buildings to collect insurance payouts. In 1974 alone, there were over 12,000 fires in the South Bronx, more than a fifth of the total fires in the entire New York City area. Shockingly, most of the arsonists were minors under the age of 16, who were commissioned to destroy buildings for monetary gain.

In the South Bronx during the 1970s and 1980s, a disturbing trend emerged where residents would deliberately set fire to their homes as a means to secure better housing. This destructive practice, which involved a ritualistic removal of furniture and leaving behind a gasoline-soaked mattress to intensify the blaze, was fueled by a belief that destroying one's home was the only way to move up the waiting list for public housing. Jill Jones, in her book 'Sad Bronx Rising,' highlighted the stark reality faced by residents, where visible signs in public assistance offices bluntly stated that the only way to expedite housing assistance was for one's home to burn down.

Despite the dire circumstances in the South Bronx, there was a tendency among some conservative journalists to solely blame impoverished populations for the neighborhood's decline. This narrative conveniently shifted responsibility away from systemic issues and the neglect of urban areas by those in power. By attributing the destruction to residents burning their furniture as a housing strategy, the establishment could evade accountability for their role in the urban decay and segregation of communities.

The South Bronx was left in a state resembling a post-war wasteland, with buildings gutted, streets deserted, and waterlogged from burst pipes. The landscape was littered with rubble, including the rusted frames of countless burnt-out cars. Between 1970 and 1980, entire areas like Charlotte were decimated, becoming stark symbols of the devastation. President Jimmy Carter's visit in 1977 and Ronald Reagan's observation in 1980 highlighted the drastic decline, with a staggering 97% of offices disappearing by the early 1980s. Neighborhoods like Soundview saw a drastic reduction in buildings, from 836 in 1970 to just 9 by 1980, accompanied by a population decline from 380,000 to 160,000 residents. This mass exodus of 180,000 people within a decade underscored a national trend of neglecting marginalized communities.