Detroit Flashcards
In the 19th century, what brought wealth into Detroit?
Shipping and shipbuilding
Why was there significant population growth in the 20th century?
Car industries came to the area e.g. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler
Why was there such an influx of workers to Detroit?
There were lots of working opportunities with competitive salaries.
African Americans were welcome, whereas elsewhere in the US (south) there was lots of discrimination
What happened after 1970?
The international oil crisis meant that vehicles with greater fuel economies were more desirable.
Competitors from Asia (Toyota, Honda and Nissan) produced these models.
This meant that the Detroit car companies had to cut jobs, shut down plants and relocate to cheaper areas such as Mexico.
How did Detroit become so run-down?
The rising number of unemployed workers meant that taxes had to fall.
This meant that there was little money to invest in the city
How did the population in the area change?
In the 1950s, Detroit’s population reached a peak of 1.8 million people
By 2010, it had dropped to 700,000 because of white flight
What percent of the city’s population is below the poverty level?
36%
In 2010, what was the residential vacancy rate?
27.8%
What was the unemployment rate?
Highest of the 50 largest American cities at 23.1%
What percentage of street lights do not work?
40%
What was the average police call time?
58 minutes
How was student enrollment affected in the area?
In 2002, 165,000 students enrolled
In 2012, 53,000 students enrolled
What was Detroit’s murder rate?
53 per 100,000 - 10x greater than New York City
What percentage of Detroit suffers from asthma compared to Michigan?
50% more
Who has recently invested heavily into the growth of Detroit?
Bedrock (Dan Gilbert)
Rock Ventures
