Essay Sample Dedicated to the Fragmentation of a Metropolitan Area

Metropolitan areas have changed in the United States dramatically since the Second World War. The change has been a result of social, economic, and structural factors. Fragmentation of metropolitan areas has been developed in major towns in the United States. Studies have shown that fragmentation of metropolitan areas has become a hindrance to good governance of urban populations. It has led to the unequal development and increasing racial disparities. The fragmentation of metropolitan areas has created a gap in racial and class divisions, economic and reduced social opportunities for the minorities and the economically disadvantaged. It has led to the concentration of poor living standards in areas where the economically disadvantaged individuals live.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

In governing an urban population in a fragmented area, local government can contribute to economic segregation and urban disorderly in the regulation of the land use. Determining where infrastructure, housing, and transportation will be constructed may become unfair in a fragmented metropolitan area. This is because a local government jurisdiction such as service districts can decide the quality of services such as sewerage treatment that is provided to a certain community.

It is seen that the most affluent population can be in a position to increase and better their public services through the creation of service districts. The local government proliferation has created urban centers with patchwork which are independent. This situation has put a local government in a dilemma for governance in a metropolitan area because each a patch handle issues differently from the other patch. It has become challenging for a local authority in addressing the local issues that relate to economic development, education, health and infrastructure which requires coordination of the region as a whole. In most fragmented metropolitan areas they have independent jurisdiction which makes it a challenge for a local government to share resources. The independent local jurisdiction cannot be in a position to coordinate the sharing of resources and the business competitiveness which could bring significant impact on lives of individuals living in the economically disadvantaged regions.

The fragmented government gives more chance to wealthier families to make a selection of the place they want to reside in base on amenities, housing, and burden tax. As a result of these choices, individuals living in a better socioeconomic environment distant themselves from those living in less developed areas. This situation helps to build and increase racism and economic segregation, as well as aggravate stereotypes and distrust among different races. This gives the urban governing body a challenge in changing public policies. As time goes, this scenario will create a situation of us versus them which will make suburban regions to support policies that only favor and benefit them. They will tend not support policies that will primarily help the minority of urban population such as the regional tax sharing and affordable housing development.

Fragmentations of metropolitan areas have led to the wielding of their zones. The free wielding has led to regions working on their progress at the expense of others. The policies governing the urban population has been undermined making it difficult to address issues such as sprawl in the urban center, improving the lives of the disadvantaged population, racism, economic segregation and the conservation of the natural resources. The severe competition over the available resources such as infrastructure and public services has pushed affluent communities to special-service district districts (for example, fire protection and economic development), which help them pay services offered in their areas only. As a result, increase in the fragmentation of special-services districts has led to divisions between those who have and those who do not have. Wealthier communities provide services to their own areas without sharing resources and financing available in their areas with the disadvantaged communities in the same area.

Finally, fragmentation of metropolitan areas has created zoning in relations to race and class. Despite the government perceiving this as an objective for development, it has highly been political and class oriented. Zoning has become an effective way of regulating land use, making it difficult for less wealthy individuals to get to the other regions. Zoning in urban centers has close relations with race making it difficult for governing body to manage both groups which become a challenge in the distribution of resources.

Conclusion

Fragmentation of metropolitan areas has inconvenienced the governance of urban population. As a result, economically disadvantaged communities continue to lag in poverty as affluent communities make policies that favor and benefit their regions. Sharing of resources has become unfair in such a way that there is economic segregation. Fragmentation of metropolitan areas has made urban centers appear sprawl due to lack of proper coordination from coordinating body. Fragmentation of metropolitan areas has few advantages in the development of urban centers, and local authorities should put in place common policies governing regions as a unit. This will ensure that there is an equitable distribution of resources and economic development in all regions. Policymaking should remain with the governing authority for it to bring unity among the fragmented metropolitan areas. This will ensure there good governance of urban populations.