A Master Plan for Dallas, Texas, Report 10: Housing Page: 29
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Relation between Housing and Crime
Plate 13 shows the rate of juvenile delinquency per 1000 persons
for the various census tracts for 1937 The average rate for the entire
city for this year was 4.09. As shown on Plate 13 the areas in which this
rate is greater than the city average are almost all areas of poor housing.
In some of the older areas adjoining the central business district, the
juvenile delinquency rate was in excess of 12 cases per 1000 persons. Areas
of poor character produce juvenile delinquents who eventually account for a
large part of the criminal element. Court costs, police costs, and insurance
costs are paid by the entire city
New housing could not be expected to eliminate crime but new neigh-
borhoods with homes of minimum standards and adequate play space would have
an important influence on lessening juvenile delinquency and in building
citizens of better character.
Relation between Housing and Municipal Income and Expenditures
It has been known for some time that the poor districts of a city
do not pay nearly enough taxes to balance the cost of governmental services.
In other words, these poorer areas have been subsidized for many years.
Unfortunately, no income and cost survey has been made of the various parts
of Dallas to determine the extent of this subsidy and to determine who pays
for the deficits in the poorer areas0 However, from surveys that have been
made in other ci-ties conclusions can be drawn that are undoubtedly applicable
to Dallas,
These surveys in other cities show that only those areas containing
residences of good character occupied by the middle and the high income 'groups
pay enough taxes to balance the cost of public services. As the condition
of the residential areas becomes poorer, the costs per capita become greater
because of the proportionately larger expenditures for fire,hospitals and
health, and criminal prosecution in these areas. In some cities slum
areas have been found in which the municipal income was only one dollar for
each five dollars of public expenditures. Some of the poorer areas in Dallas
probably would reveal a ratio of 2 or 3 to l
Studies in other cities reveal that the taxpayer of the average good
residential areas, the industrial districts, and the central shopping area
make up this deficit by paying more in taxes than the cost of public services
furnished,. In cities similar to Dallas the central business district has been
found to pay the great majority of the deficit in the poorer residential areas0
Because of these relations between tax income and the cost of providing
municipal services, the owners of business and industrial property and the owners
of well kept homes have a great financial interest in the slums and blighted
areas in the central part of the city. They are paying a high price to retain
these areas in their present condition.
It would never be possible for all the parts of a city to pay the exact
proportion of their cost in taxes, The better residential areas and the business
and industrial districts always will have to help the poorer residential areas,
irrespective of the method of levying taxes0 However, the subsidy should be as
low as possible and should be spent in as intelligent and beneficial manner as
possible, which is not the case at the present time.
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Harland Bartholomew and Associates. A Master Plan for Dallas, Texas, Report 10: Housing, report, December 1944; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth803915/m1/61/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Municipal Archives.