What is driving this apparent failure of brick and mortar

Fall2017

TERM PAPER QUESTIONS

Please select one of the following topics for your Term Paper and write a 1,500 wordpaper on the subject. You can use the suggested links

or find your own. Grading will be based on original thought and an understanding of the subject matter.

All the writing must be your own work, unless indicated by a citation.

Credits should be cited at the end of the paper.

Use spell- and grammar- check, as you will lose points for poor writing skills.

Be sure to cover all of the topic, as it is described below.

Grading will be based on original thought and an understanding of the subject matter:

Original thought (10 points)

Evidence of research (10 points)

Organization of paper (6 points)

Spelling/grammar check (4 points)

This paper will represent 30% of your final grade.

Gentrification and Affordable Housing

The Mayor and the Board of Supervisors are attempting to deal with the serious increase in housing costs in San Francisco. Both rents and property values have gone up dramatically in the past 5-10 years as a result, in part, of the “Tech Boom.” This increase has come from many directions, including what is generally referred to as “gentrification” of our older neighborhoods.

What is gentrification, and is it good or bad? What is the impact on filling empty stores in a low income neighborhood with retailers that bring more people into the area, thereby increasing demand for housing and then housing costs? Who should pay the cost of building affordable housing, when land prices are at record highs and there are so many fees charged by the City for new construction that drive up the initial cost?

Here are a few links to consider:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/flagwars/special_gentrification.php

http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Chronicle-recommends-Yes-on-S-F-Prop-A-6517019.php

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/datacenter/mission-sf-development-gentrification-before-after.html

http://www.beyondchron.org/ny-times-says-sf-becoming-city-of-elite-in-1981/

https://sf.curbed.com/2016/3/23/11295144/san-francisco-rents

https://sf.curbed.com/maps/mapping-25-projects-transforming-mission-bay-and-dogpatch

TAKE A POSITION, SUPPORTING OR OPPOSING GENTRIFICATION and make that case in your paper. Discuss how you make neighborhoods better without pricing the housing out of the range of the average resident. Discuss potential solutions that you think should be considered to provide more affordable housing.

Neighborhood Planning

Select either the neighborhood that you live in or any neighborhood within San Francisco for this paper. The area should include both single family and multi-family housing and a neighborhood commercial district. Discuss what changes you think should be implemented by the City to address the future needs of that neighborhood. Discuss issues related to traffic, parking, transit, neighborhood-serving businesses and population density.

Here are some links that will provide background for your plan:

http://generalplan.sfplanning.org/

http://sf-planning.org/better-neighborhoods-program

http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=2575

http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=2977

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/30/san-francisco-2033_n_4520630.html

http://www.sustainable-city.org/

Your paper should form the basis of a new general plan for that neighborhood, setting priorities for future development and growth, and including public benefits. Include a discussion about the community’s resistance to change, and how that resistance should be addressed.

Changes in Retail Shopping Patterns

Retail customer trends are changing rapidly. There are 13 well known retailers that are closing over 1,500 stores nationally in 2017, including Macy’s, JCPenney, Kmart and many men’s and women’s clothing stores.

What is driving this apparent failure of brick and mortar? Will this be good for consumers? What will replace the opportunity to “touch and feel” the merchandise?

Here are a few of the many articles written recently on this topic:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2017/07/15/what-the-latest-retail-sales-trends-reveal-about-american-shoppers/#22f8daae5c53

Retailers That Will Close Hundreds of Stores Next Year

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nikkibaird/2017/01/04/five-predictions-for-retail-in-2017/#4ef452644882

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanpearson/2016/12/28/7-under-the-radar-retail-trends-for-2017/#75c7b6a55972

http://www.clark.com/major-retailers-closing-2017

http://www.businessinsider.com/stores-closing-macys-kohls-walmart-sears-2016-12

https://www.bisnow.com/national/news/retail/retail-hell-amazon-to-blame-for-record-bankruptcies-72360?utm_medium=email_share&utm_source

Discuss this topic in any way that you think explains what is behind this trend and what retail shopping mighty look like in the near future (5-10 years).

Term Paper Questions Fall 2017 (1) (1)

Answer preview to what is driving this apparent failure of brick and mortar

What is driving this apparent failure of brick and mortar APA

1554 words

What is driving this apparent failure of brick and mortar