The following appeared in a recommendation from the planning department of the city of Transopolis.
Ten years ago, as part of a comprehensive urban renewal program, the city of Transopolis adapted for industrial use a large area of severely substandard housing near the freeway.Subsequently, several factories were constructed there, crime rates in the area declined, and property tax revenues for the entire city increased.To further revitalize the city, we should now take similar action in a declining residential area on the opposite side of the city.Since some houses and apartments in existing nearby neighbourhoods are currently unoccupied, alternate housing for those displaced by this action will be readily available.
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
Ten years ago, as part of a comprehensive urban renewal program, the city of Transopolis adapted for industrial use a large area of severely substandard housing near the freeway.Subsequently, several factories were constructed there, crime rates in the area declined, and property tax revenues for the entire city increased.To further revitalize the city, we should now take similar action in a declining residential area on the opposite side of the city.Since some houses and apartments in existing nearby neighbourhoods are currently unoccupied, alternate housing for those displaced by this action will be readily available.
The decline in crime rates and rise in property tax revenue are not necessarily the results of the industrial adaptation of the old area
- Maybe there are more police officers dispatched in the city
- Maybe the economy is booming over the past ten years, causing the property tax to rise
It is not necessarily feasible to make the similar move now
- Maybe the old area has some geographical features that attract certain businesses, such as wind power. And the new area does not have attractive characteristics
- Maybe the old business that constructed the previous factories moved out and no other business would like to build factories there
Even if a similar move can be made, a same positive effect is not guaranteed
- There could a larger income gap and a higher unemployment rate than that of ten years, which could lead to a higher crime rate
- Maybe the economy is starting to go into a recession. A rise in property tax revenue is more difficult than ten years ago
Alternative housing for those displaced is not always readily available
- The house owners may not want to rent or sale their unoccupied house
- Maybe the displace residents cannot afford the hosues in the existing neighborhoods
argument 1 -- OK
argument 2 -- OK
argument 3 -- OK
argument 4 -- OK