Windshield Survey – Winterlane, Maryland, Coursework Example

Describe the boundaries of the area being surveyed.

Is the area a named neighborhood? Are the boundaries determined by geography, or economic status?

Housing

Describe the houses in the area including: age of the houses, overall condition of the houses, types of housing (single family, multiple family), how many are for sale or vacant, etc. From the housing, what could be assumed about the economic status of the area?

Signs of Decay

Besides the housing, what is the general condition of the area? Do you notice things like garbage or junky cars in the area?

Parks and Recreational Areas

Describe any parks, playgrounds or other green spaces you notice. In your description make note of the condition of these areas, and if they seem to be used. Are there any other types of recreational areas?

Transportation

Describe the transportation in the area, and the condition of the streets. Do you see anyone using public transportation? Is public transportation available? Is this a heavily traveled area?

Economics

Are there any industries in the area?

Schools

List the type, level, and number of schools.

Religion

List the number and types of religious facilities.

Services

Describe any type of social service, health care service and protective service (fire and police) that is in the area.

General

Do you see any evidence of gang activity? Describe it. What types of billboards/signs do you see, and how do they reflect the atmosphere of the area? What cultural and ethnic groups live in this area?

Community Needs

Based on your observations, identify any problems in the community.

Community Strengths

Did you notice any community resources that might address the problems you identified?

Subjective Feeling

How did you feel, being in the area? Were you comfortable? Were you nervous? Did the people seem friendly? Would this be an area where you would like to live or work? Explain.

Boundaries

This community is part of Baltimore, County, Maryland, and is just west of Baltimore proper, south of Woodland, northeast of Arbutus, northwest of Ilchester, and east of Ellicott City (Wikipedia, 2014). The city is comprised of 14 square miles of land (Wikipedia, 2014).

Housing

In this area, housing is quite old with a combination of different styles, including single family, duplex, and roll houses, many of which are dilapidated and unkempt. In these areas, vacant homes are visible, some of which have caught on fire and others that may serve as drug dealing locations. There are currently few homes for sale; however, there are newer developments that are increasing their presence within this area. Many of these developments are gated communities, due in large part to their proximity to neighboring Howard county, an affluent area. In this city, there are also a number of self-storage facilities

Within this community, there is substantial decay that is evident in many of the neighborhoods. The area is unkempt and trash is visible on streets and in vacant and occupied spaces, such as homes and yards. In general, the area appears to be very unsafe and would be difficult to live in and feel the desired level of comfort that is typically necessary in a home environment.

Within the community, there are several recreational parks that are open to the public; however, they are not widely used by local residents. They are also filled with trash and other items and are unattractive to visit. In addition, the community also offers one gym known as Planet Fitness, along with a skills center.

In this area, there are several options for public transportation, including designated buses and bus routes. In addition, private transportation is used widely throughout the area.

Within this area, some of the most popular businesses include the following: fast food restaurants, grocery stores, several liquor stores, a shopping plaza, and drugstore chains such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS. Within this community, there are also a number of car dealerships, car wash companies, car care centers, a tobaccoq outlet, and several dollar retail stores. In addition, there is a Sam’s Club, Marshall’s, Lowe’s, tattoo parlors, ethnic restaurants, motels, and a Laundromat.

Within the area, there are several public schools with rundown buildings which students still inhabit during school hours.

The public schools include Winterlane Elementary, Middle, and high schools (City-Data, 2014).

Within the community, there are a number of churches, including Saint Mark’s Roman Catholic Church, Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church, and First Church of Christ Scientist, among others (City-Data, 2014). Therefore, many different religious persuasions are represented within the Winterlane community (City-Data, 2014).

Within the community, a number of services are available to the general public, including a public library, gas stations, a medical center, banks and credit unions, a skills center, a Goodwill store, a fitness center, a health clinic, a funeral home, and police and fire services (Winterlane.org, 2014). In addition, the community offers a senior center that offers over 35 classes and a fitness center for local use (Baltimore County, MD, 2014).

Spring Grove Hospital Center (2011) is also located in Winterlane and is comprised of a 425-bed full service inpatient psychiatric facility and is the one of the oldest psychiatric hospitals in the entire United States. This hospital is managed by the State of Maryland and operates under the oversight of the Mental Hygiene Administration within the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (Spring Grove Hospital Center, 2011).

In general, the community possesses a number of problems that require further analysis because they are difficult to overcome, such as the threat of gangs and gang-related violence due to the poor conditions in some of the neighborhoods. In addition, the population is comprised of Whites (74.5%); Blacks; (15.6%); Asians (4.0%); and Hispanics (3.5%) (City-Data, 2014). Furthermore, a number of businesses advertise on billboards and reflect African American members of society, and the stores within the community are primarily owned by the Asian community. In addition, the majority of the churches within the community are comprised of Black congregations.

Within the community, there are a number of health and economic disparities to consider, particularly since the area appears to be struggling and experiencing poor economic conditions in many ways that have been difficult to overcome. The residents of Winterlane continue to struggle in a number of areas that may also impact their health when access to healthcare is not properly utilized on a regular basis. For example, the use of different physician groups, such as those employed by Erickson Living, a retirement community, should be utilized wisely in order to demonstrate their ability to be effective in meeting the needs of this patient population in an effective manner (Erickson Living, 2014).

Within the community, there are several strengths, including the group of churches that are available. In addition, the skills center is available to support skill development within the local population across different age groups. This supports keeping children and young adults off the streets, and also provides a basis for examining other areas where adults might be able to train to improve their employment potential.

When I visited the area, I began to experience a sense of unease, nervousness, and anxiety. Overall, African American residents were friendly, but Asian business owners were somewhat tense and quite suspicious of other people, even patrons. Based upon the experiences within this community, I believe that this is an area that I would not like to have to visit on a regular basis in my regular travels. I felt very uncomfortable in this community and do not wish to repeat these experiences anytime soon.

With respect to community-based needs, there is a substantial need to overhaul a number of important areas, such as healthcare and overall economic conditions.

Community strengths are largely grounded in faith-based communities within the different churches that are available in which to worship, from Catholic to Episcopal and others.