Quasi-segregation (April 2025 work session)
Maximus Chaialee-Wong (Chemical Engineering), Naitik Prajapati (Data Science and Marketing), Aryan Naik (Finence and Data Science), Surya Erramilli (Computer Science), Ani Gali (Computer Science), Tony Fisher (Mechanical Engineering)
What's the problem?
After Civil War ended, liberated slaves began seeking economic opportunity. For example Migrate North for labor and the Great Migration in the 1910s. Unfortunately underlying/subconscious racial prejudices, as in desire to restrict African-Americans from neighborhoods placed many African Americans and later other races in poorer, segregated areas through housing covenants resulting in “quasi segregation”. One reason this happens is to protect property values, and even though court cases prohibited race based discrimination developers still find ways around them. One example of an original covenants preventing people of color from living in the areas they desire was, “no property in said addition shall at any time be sold, conveyed, rented or leased in whole or in part to any person or persons not of the White or Caucasian race”. The impact of this segregation and the ways modern day codes find ways to segregate are what we are trying to find a solution to reverse.
The lack of financial opportunities in neighborhoods affected by quasi-segregation makes it harder for people living there to move out, especially when they have to work 2 jobs just to support themselves and their families. Also due to previous laws that created segregated communities, quasi-segregation is still prevalent today as these communities are the ones that have financial problems.
But First...
We voted to attempt to solve quasi-segregation specifically in the housing sector. For ideation, we had to empathize and put ourselves in the shoes of those who experience this phenomenon. For the solution, we focused on affordable housing instead of education reform and government laws.
Who is impacted?
Residents of Phoenix impacted by segragation in housing
Defining a better solution to the problem
Our idea was to build more affordable housing so that there are more housing options. People that are previously quasi-segregated can move to different areas, since there are cheap options available. The solution addresses the voices and voiceless people in these areas so they can move. The solution is courageous as it requires more government funding.
The Prototype
