In the 1970s, there was a study conducted in Harlem. Two identical apartment complexes were built. One was in perfect condition. In the other, a slight bit of damage was done to each apartment a torn piece of wallpaper, a crack in a window, a small hole in a wall. Both buildings were then occupied. After a year or so, the buildings were inspected, and the building that was in pristine condition when occupied had remained nearly so. The building that had the tiniest bit of damage when occupied was in terrible shape.
I was reminded of this study as I rode a bike through town. On the north side everything is pretty well maintained. Streets and alleys look great. The homes are well kept, lawns are taken care of, sidewalks look pretty good. The farther north a person goes, the better it gets.
On the south side, not so much. There are homes that have been well taken care of. They sit with good paint or siding, good roofs, windows, and doors, and the lawns are well maintained. But there are also once-beautiful homes that now appear uncared for. And some of the homes are in such a state of disrepair that its hard to believe someone lives there.
Having owned a lawn business where I maintained 70 yards a week, it was disheartening to see some of the properties that had once been so loved now neglected.
So I went back and this time pedaled more slowly, taking time to notice everything: A home in total disrepair, but two baskets full of brightly colored flowers hanging on the porch. A roof with most of the shingles gone or damaged, but a welcome sign hanging on the front porch, and the lawn is nicely kept. On some, the porch is missing boards, and there arent screens on the windows, but the windows are shiny clean.
In the middle of some blocks, the Harlem theory comes alive. A house that has probably been owned by the same person for 50 years stands well-maintained. If this house sits in the middle of the block, then the neighbors on either side have also done a little something to brighten their homes. But as we go farther away, the houses become worse.
In some of these homes, the people inside truly do not care. Living in poverty can be overwhelming and can leave a person feeling hopeless. However, what I saw is not apathy, but mostly a lack of resources, skill or health. The person may not have the resources to repair the roof, but they can put two pots of flowers on the porch and keep them watered and healthy. They may not be able to physically paint the house, but they can hang a friendly welcome sign on the porch.
Instead of using our Regional Rural Technology Center to teach students to build sheds, perhaps a better use of their time would be to teach students how to repair homes. Most carpenters need to know how to replace a floor joist inside an existing structure, how to replace a roof or floor.
If groups could adopt homes and the work overseen be provided by the Rural Tech Center, think how much we could revitalize the parts of our community where people live.
Let the Harlem study be a lesson that we can learn from. The people who live in the homes that appear to be falling down care a great deal about their homes for the most part. The problem for most is not a lack of caring. It is either lack of funds, skill or health.
If you or an organization that you belong to would like to help, please contact Humanity House. Kindness matters!
