City of Boston Assessor's Department Data, 2001
Zooming in on a map of the city of Boston that shows a color based on the value of each land and building (darker is more valuable, the numbers are house values), I've discovered some compelling patterns. Wealth is created in business centers, but its most universal place of storage in capital markets is through home-ownership. Land is the most tradeable commodity, because it is the most enduring. It is through the study of land and housing values that we learn the most about a people's access to resources. Land in Boston is at a premium. Home prices on the whole are rising in almost every neighborhood, yet there are locations that have shown resistance. What causes resistance to wealth creation in particular pockets of the inner city? Is it crime? Is it racial discrimination? Is it simply the market playing itself out? As Christians, I believe we're called to find out the answer and help cities get it right.
Even worse, there are patterns of segregation based on race persistent today that cannot be denied. For instance, look at this town. After living in Canada for 6 years, I've forgotten how drastic the problem of race relations still is in the U.S. We need to do better.
