Running Head: Community

Community Analysis Part 1

Kyle Lynch
FV 7649
Wayne State University
November 15, 2015

Community

Flint, Michigan is a city located in mid-Michigan.

Someone

growing up in the area in the early 2000s has seen many changes
over the past ten years.

Flint used to be a middle class city

fueled by the auto industry.

Over the past ten years the country

went through a major recession.

Flint was hit particularly hard

during the recession because of its reliance on the auto

industry.

As people lost their jobs, many also lost their homes.

As the housing market took a crash, individuals who remained

employed left the city.

This has cause the average income of the

city to decrease substantially.

was 124,987 people (Flint, 2012).

In 2000 the population of flint

The population was 41.41%

white, and 53.25% black with the remaining being other races
(Flint, 2012).

The average household income in 2000 was $28,015,

and the average value of a home was $49,000 (Flint Michigan,

2015).

It is certain that the needs of the community of Flint,

MI have changed over the past fifteen years.

In 2010 the census did mark some changes in the population.
In 2010 the population of Flint was 102,434 people (Flint, 2012).
The population consisted of 37.42% whites and 56.56% black with
the remaining population being other minorities (Flint, 2012).
The average household income in 2013 was $23,131 which is a
decrease of $4,884 per household over thirteen years (Flint
Michigan, 2015).

The average price of a home fell $20,100 over

thirteen years from $49,100 in 2000 to $29,000 in 2013 (Flint

Community

Michigan, 2015).

The city still remains dependent mostly on

industrial income, but also has begun to depend on the service

industry.

The city has moved away from centralization.

According to Netting, The continuum of centralization to

decentralization involves the degree to which groups and
organizations cluster in a location close to what is considered
to be the communitys center (2012, pp144).

This is evident in

the decrease in population within the city, as individuals and

families have moved to the suburbs.

A main factor in people

moving away from the city is competition for employment.

Netting

describes competition as the acquisition or possession of land,

jobs, votes, and other resources (2012, pp144). This also
explains the decrease in property value, because there is less
competition to acquire property so the value has decreased.
also explains the lack of gentrification.

This

According to the text

concentration is a process in which persons enter communities,

whether through immigration, or migration, and go from great to
small numbers depending on how many people or organizations stay
within a particular locale(Netting, 2012, pp144).

This is shown

in the decrease in population in correlation to the decrease in

industrial jobs.

In flint succession has occurred with lower

income individuals taking the place of individuals with

substantial income.

Netting describes succession as the

rapidity with which one social group or set of organizations

Community

replaces another within a geographical area (2012, pp145).

The

changes in Flint is sad for an individual who was once proud to

call this place home.
The changes with in flint have caused the community as a
whole to change.

Flint was once a middle working class community

with lots of opportunity.

In recent years incomes have decreased

and property value has decreased.

The crime rate has increased

and the need for community assistance has increased.

of at risk populations has increased as well.

The level

All of these

changes are a direct result of the loss of quality high paying

jobs in the auto industry.

With the loss of population and the

decrease in property value, the city does not have as much money
as it needs to operate.

This in turn has decreased the amount of

money the city is able to provide for services for individuals in

need and at risk.
their relations.

In Flint, races have continued to improve

This is evident in the fact that the only

population to see an increase in the city was individuals with

two or more races.

These individuals saw an increase of forty

two people in the years from 2000 to 2010 (Flint, 2012).

As

individuals with higher socioeconomic status have migrated away

from the city, Flint has developed a stigma.

Many people from

the suburbs turn their nose up at people from Flint.

When

someone says they are from Flint, questions regarding murder and
crime generally follow.

Because of the stigma people have about

Community

Flint, many avoid the city at all costs.

These stigma have also

lead to an increase in population in the surrounding suburban

areas.
Growing up in flint gives an individual a unique perspective
on the world.

The community is diverse and dominated by the

African American culture.

A white individual is able to witness

on a daily basis how society interacts with and treats

minorities.

Because being white is a minority in Flint, this

gives whites a unique lens to view the world through.

In Flint,

racism does exist as it does in every community, but races seem

to work and live together in peace.

After growing up in Flint,

an individual realizes the value in being success, and also

realized the need for services for people who are not born with a
leg up on society.

Flint, Michigan gives individuals an

exceptional perspective on live both socially and culturally.

There are many ways to view the city of Flint Michigan.
According to Netting, systems perspective focuses on the human
or population (2012, pp139).

In Flint the population has

decreased as individuals and families have moved away from the

city due to lack of opportunity.

Netting explains ecological

perspective as referring to human behavior; and power politics

and change (2012, pp139). In Flint, the behavior of the
population has continued to become more deviant.

The crime rate

has increased, particularly the rate of murders.

The Inquisitr

Community

ranked Flint, Michigan as the number one most dangerous city in

2012 with 2,337 violent crimes per 100,000 people (Rigney,
2012).

The biggest problem facing Flint, MI is the lack of

quality employment.

If the residence of Flint could obtain

gainful employment, this would be the biggest and best step in

the right direction.

Community

7
References

Flint, Michigan Population:Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map,

Demographics, Statistics, Quick Facts. (2012). Retrieved
November 14, 2015, from
http://censusviewer.com/city/MI/Flint
Flint, Michigan. (2015). Retrieved November 14, 2015, from
http://www.city-data.com/city/Flint-Michigan.html
Netting, F. (2012). Social work macro practice (5th ed.). Boston,
MA: Pearson Education.
Rigney, T. (2012, November 3). Most Dangerous Cities: Flint,
Michigan Ranks As The Deadliest. Retrieved November 12,
2015, from http://www.inquisitr.com/386174/most-dangerouscities-flint-michigan-ranks-as-the-deadliest/