Highland Park
The city of Highland Park, with a population of around 11,000, has experienced problems similar to those of Detroit; the economy is depressed, and the city has had numerous problems paying for and providing city services. Streetlights have been decommissioned in several areas, and the city is currently engaged in its second lawsuit for non-payment to Detroit Water and Sewage.
Originally incorporated in 1918 to protect a burgeoning economy (fueled by Ford), Highland Park was a hotbed of racial violence in the thirties. The efforts of a Klan-like organization failed, though: at present, Highland Park is an African-American city. More recently, it has been called "the Detroit of Detroit," due to the depth of its financial crisis.
The streets and buildings here show signs of decay: buckling pavement, vacant and broken windows. Imposing brick factories, several dating back to the early twentieth century, now stand empty and unused--save as canvases for graffiti and shelters for the homeless. Plywood is everywhere, blocking off doorways and windows, while in some areas cinderblock has been used to literally brick up entrances.
Despite all this, people live here. There's a marked contrast between Highland Park and the mostly-untenanted wasteland to the west. People still walk these streets, even at night, and businesses still function in spite of the economic crisis. The sidewalks may suffer from cracks and buckled sections here and there, but they are often lined with trees. Granted, those trees may struggle for survival... but like the people of Highland Park, they survive.
