Do gated communities make cities better?

[@udishomer5852]

Gated communities are popular in countries with high crime rates like the United States and the Philippines (where I currently live). Here (Philippines) basically all middle class people live in gated communities with guards and fences. It feels like an army camp to be honest.

[@ryoukwjdbwopqmqpzl73819]

Video idea: Trams vs Buses vs Metros

[@cityforall]

Good idea!

[@hilosky]

Different benefits. buses for frequent stops and low initial cost, metro's good at high density, high capacity, high speed, large distances and space-efficient underground infrastructure. A good system has all of these working together where they fit best, alongside proper cycling infra and vehicles only for those who need it.

[@موسى_7]

They work together, they are not competing

[@jens_le_benz]

Here's an idea. What if we all freed ourselves from the burden of crime by literally building a prison around our livelihoods.

[@cityforall]

Great idea! It should help!

[@kookamunga2458]

Gated community's is a subtle form of class warefare and is similar to car-centric infrastructure. Some conspiracy theorists think filtering cars from downtowns with bollards and traffic calming measures is the same concept at gated communities but its not . Gated communities is top down planning and filtering cars is bottom top or " grassroots " planning.

[@mikko.g]

😀 locks keep honest people honest... fences keep lazy people out. Neither keep you safe from motivated individuals so maybe work on fixing what motivates them so everybody can be happy.

[@NeonNion]

This is a good video with some intetesting examples, thank you! I just think there should've been a comparison of different wealthy western nation's crime rates too. Not just a comparison of crime rates inside gated communities, but overall. For example, US has 5 times higher robbery rate than Switzerland according to one statistic. It seems obvious that the most effective way to combat crime is by reducing overall inequality, not by fencing yourself off from others. As you noted, in places where there are enough inpoverished people, like South Africa, gated communities themselves will become the targets.

[@cityforall]

That's a good point but I missed that idea unfortunately.

[@Zalis116]

4:17 -- at least in the US, businesses wouldn't be allowed in these kinds of places whether they were gated or not, thanks to single-family-home zoning laws. From what I understand, the security of gated communities is kind of an illusion, for some of the reasons you've described. 1) The gated aspect puts a target on the neighborhood in the eyes of criminals, (2) people don't take the same kinds of precautions they'd take in a non-gated area, and (3) the gate codes get given out to delivery drivers, friends, home service/repair companies and others, who can then pass them on to people _they_ know, or possibly post them online.

[@florianplack2973]

Another great topic I have not seen other urbanist channels cover. Thanks for the consistently awesome videos

[@cityforall]

Judging by the number of views, other channels don't have this topic, because few people are interested in it :)

[@florianplack2973]

@@cityforall It seems like the most generic urbanist videos get the most views - but only hearing about the importance of bike paths and mixed zoning gets boring after a while.

[@dv9239]

My city (Hyderabad) in India is being taken over by these gated communities

[@mdhazeldine]

Excellent video. Obviously the topic is huge, but you did a good job to cover it in 8 minutes. One thing that concerns me is the increase of semi-private spaces and privately owned "public" spaces. In London there are so many "luxury" developments with lots of private residents facilities and no public access, as well as "public" squares and streets that are privately owned and patrolled by security guards, with lots of CCTV and rules posted about that they made up. The can throw you off the land if you do something they don't like, like getting a camera out, or just "loitering". It removes the rights of citizens by stealth.

[@cityforall]

Thanks you! This topic is actually very complex and can be explored endlessly, so this video is a very general look at the issue.

[@sleepy670]

Yes

[@cityforall]

Ok

[@ivanxy996]

Yeah, like fences would make countries or cities safer...

[@ЦзинКэ-ы5х]

1:51 I wouldn't be so sure. It's not about being an impenetrable fortress, but rather about forcing the adversaries to do too much hassle to go inside, and eventually, exhaust their will enough to divert them to other communities or ditch their plans completely. 2:29 I don't understand the whole cry about the stratification of society. No one should be forced to live near poor, criminal, rude, and unpleasant people. Sounds like you're from Ukraine yourself and I'm pretty sure Ukraine has the same problem of "social inclusivity" from the USSR, when a university professor was forced to live nearby violent bydlo alcoholics. In the end, gated communities are the symptom of a real problem. People just want to make their lives better, even if it is only imaginably safe, it is still good for mental health. So if a city wants to get rid of gated communities, the root of the problem should be eliminated, and then gated communities will cease to exist on their own. Otherwise, it's pointless and even damaging.

[@glurakg.ravdrac3281]

Wait… there is pros?

[@DinoCon]

If America had the same demographics it did 50 years ago, we wouldn't need as many gated communities as we have now.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

It keeps the demographics responsible for most crime out

[@xx133]

Or the capital owners who build their wealth off of the immiseration of workers safe from the social consequences of their economic policies.

[@barryon8706]

Men?

[@thatgui88]

​@@barryon8706 Women

[@agaistin]

No feckin way

[@francoisperrot4890]

Interesting video but as a polish guy living in a safe country with very few immigrants from Africa and an homogenous nation, you forgot the crime and unsafety of many cities around the world. In South-Africa, being "caucasian", you're de facto a target for criminals. Moreover it's encouraged by leftist political leaders as Julius Malema "Kill the Boers" Andile Mngxitama, president of Black First Land First (BLF) to "kill white people their children and their pets". Some countries like France, Sweden or Great Britain are becoming like South Africa because of the unlimited and encouraged unskilled and violent immigration from thirld world. So when you're life is endangered, are there other options than trying to avoid violence by living in gated community?

[@cityforall]

I absolutely agree. In my opinion, the biggest thing is that gated communities don't solve the cause of the problem, but run away from the symptoms. Although this is probably the maximum that people can do at their level.

[@xx133]

Only people that have power can create gated communities for themselves. They were singing a song sung during their oppression, to overcome their oppressors-it is symbolic as they still are working to overcome these oppressive constructs. Whites make up 10% of the population in Africa, but own 90% of the land and resources. Apartheid formally ended in Africa, but there is still an economic apartheid that needs to be abolished. The indigenous population is crying out against the oppressive constructs. To strip that context out in your framing is dangerous and deceptive.

[@xx133]

@@cityforall​​⁠how can you agree, the commenter is literally repeating Nazi talking points… on top of purposely mischaracterizing an apartheid era revolutionary song for freedom by the indigenous population from their oppressors. Also, making false statements on “white genocide”. See the ADL’s statement on “The Racist Obsession with South African ‘White Genocide’”

[@AlexShutyuk]

@@xx133 I think it really depends on the country. I'm not going to argue about South Africa, because I don't really know their situation very well, I just looked for research on the topic on the Internet. As for the idea that gated communities are created only by those in power, I generally disagree. In many countries, it's just middle-class housing behind a fence. The same Comfort Town that I mentioned in the video is just a neighborhood of high-rise buildings behind a fence and quite ordinary people live there. There are similar neighborhoods in many other countries. Although, of course, somewhere it may be as you say.

[@xx133]

@@AlexShutyuk having a fence is different than living in a gated community.