Research paper about building a Community garden in homeless area in Downtown Phoenix Subject: 72

This research paper but made into a STORY MAP and it is diving deep into my proposal which is implemented into a neighborhood of my choice. That neighborhood is in downtown Phoenix. The neighborhood is “Downtown Phoenix’s Tent City”. So for my proposal I wanted to implement a community garden in the area which would at the end of the day help the homeless in many ways. For the proposal that I had to submit, this is what I mentioned. 

. Why this city? Why this neighborhood/intersection/area? Phoenix, Arizona stands as a pivotal city for this research proposal due to its substantial homeless population and intense urban heat island effects. The city has been experiencing significant growth, which, while beneficial in some aspects, has exacerbated socioeconomic disparities and environmental stress. A community garden in the homeless community neighborhood, particularly around the intersection of 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street, could offer considerable benefits. This area is notable for its high concentration of homeless shelters and services, making it a strategic location for community based interventions.

2. Demographics, Built Landscape, and Economic Base: The target area is characterized by a high density of underutilized land and abandoned lots, surrounded by low income housing and homeless shelters. The demographic profile of this area primarily includes homeless individuals and low income families, many of whom face challenges such as unemployment or underemployment. The economic base of the area is relatively weak, with few job opportunities available locally, particularly those that offer livable wages without requiring advanced education or specialized training.

4. Purpose of the Community Garden: The primary goal of the community garden is to provide both a sustainable source of nutritious food and therapeutic space for the homeless and economically disadvantaged residents. Additionally, the garden would serve as a community hub, fostering social cohesion, offering educational opportunities about nutrition and farming, and potentially providing some residents with volunteer or even paid work opportunities

4. Challenges in the Realm of Justice, Sustainability, and Diversity (JSD)

• ●  Justice: There is a significant lack of access to healthy food options and recreational spaces, which perpetuates health disparities among the homeless and low income residents.

• ●  Sustainability: The area suffers from environmental degradation and a lack of green spaces, which contributes to severe urban heat and poor air quality.

• ●  Diversity: Economic and racial inequalities are pronounced, with a large portion of the homeless population being people of color who have limited access to essential services.

Final Project

• All sources must be cited appropriately, using APA, Chicago, or MLA formatting

• A complete bibliography must be included

• You should use at least 8 sources for your project; at least 5 of these must be scholarly sources

• Be sure to proofread and edit the document

• Most projects will be 1200-1600 words of text.  People write differently.  Don’t “fluff” up to reach 1200 words – if you have covered everything well, you’re done.  Similarly if your essay is longer, don’t edit out critical information to get down to 1600 words (but do edit out redundant or irrelevant text). 

• Evaluation of the project:

1. (15%)   Your understanding of JSD is clear and the links to the concerns of the 3 Es are clearly laid out in your proposed project (B) or your project comparison (C) or provides the context for your discussion of the book.  Please note that ChatGPT believes that JSD refers to something that has nothing to do with this class.

2. (15%)   Your final project or review is clearly linked to course material and concepts we have covered this semester.

3. (20%)   Your final project or review is well-organized with supporting images where appropriate; sources, including images, are correctly cited (in-text and in the bibliography); your text is free of typos

4. (20%)  Context:  for “B” you have a rich description of the neighborhood and its place in the city, including a clear discussion of socio economics and infrastructure.  Maps and tables are appropriate here.

This is what was posted by my professor.

• This proposal should focus on a specific site and include specific recommendations that address the problems you have outlined in your introduction. For instance, you would not attempt to address air pollution in Pittsburgh. Instead, you would focus on a specific neighborhood, such as Homewood, and identify the challenges facing the area. You would then outline the specifics of a program that could address some of these challenges. For instance, if you are proposing a community garden, you would show where you would locate it, who would benefit and how (what are the demographics of the immediate neighborhood? how will people get there? What challenges it would address (where are supermarkets and corner stores located? What do we know about public health in the neighborhood? Would this also address a lack of green space in the neighborhood? In transportation (levels of car ownership and connectivity of public transit) relevant to your proposal? Are you creating jobs?

Including maps/data/ images