Benign Neglect: The Team Four plan's legacy in north St. Louis - Part 1 of 4

How did north and south St. Louis become so different? Why have neighborhoods in south St. Louis seen so much development while many north St. Louis neighborhoods fall further and further into decay?

How did it come to this? Some will tell you it’s the result of something called benign neglect. And it didn’t just happen. Some say it was all part of a plan.

[ReeseEForbes]

No way this was benign (which means gentle, kindly). It did not honor the people or the architecture in that area. Purposeful Neglect would correct.

[bennysitub]

Thank you for this series on St Louis. As an outsider, I've often wondered why the city has allowed neighborhoods to decline in such a way. Many locals do not know either.

BTW. You might want to look into Rand a bit more. Even if Group 4 did not have an agenda, Rand probably did.

[emmaharwell]

Is it possible to bring a class action lawsuit against the City of St. Louis ?

[Mtrs_Chic]

This is why US cities don't retain their historical feel and therefore feel "souless"

[empoweredwoman]

Benign neglect is the lack of resources and finances to support and maintain the housing sources, businesses, and schools. Banks never give black homeowners loans to maintain properties and businesses.

[courtneyalia]

I remember my mom saw this original plan in the 80’s when she was working on a neighborhood development board. Let the black neighborhoods decline.

[bambamgo]

Wow! Never knew. I wondered why spots in St. Louis where kept up and others where not.

[nicholasgraff]

Ima be all over these comment sections may as well say hi now glad this channel exists

[ewandric]

Set the Northside up for a major property grab!

[debwright]

🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓This is what apartheid cities in America looks like, run down, than regentrification the residents are kicked out, rents raised for only the well healed. In other words same old story.😖😖😖😖😖😖

[nicholasgraff]

Here's a tip. It's not gonna be smart to make this channel a CNN with focus on Saint Louis, the internet isn't into pushing the "America is racist AF" narrative. Saint Louis is a very special place, the relationships between different races within this city is unique, as well as a ton of other things that make it such an interesting city. I've lived all around and seen so many different cities and Saint Louis and New Orleans are twins but they are completely unique in America and in the world. The truth is the average person around here, Black or White, acknowledges there is racism, and it's inherently bad. But making it the center piece of so many stories is not a good idea. It starts to polarize and radicalize people and just ramps up debate. That might be okay in other cities where they don't have the real life problems a place like Saint Louis has, but here on ground zero we need people to stop bickering like kids and start DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM!! We don't care who the biggest victim was! Let's focus on what we can do to fix it right now! PEOPLE NEED TO HOLD OUR MEDIA TO STANDARDS! Stop distracting us and start helping us!

[manofchrist]

Billionaire Dorsey has enough money to eliminate all the abandoned/boarded up buildings ( a cost of about $30 million)...but we appreach his 30 building demo-gift....

[thejake]

This didn't start 2 yrs or 20 yrs ago..this is systemic

[blackstoneblackstoneblacks]

Look at the races devil laughs when he said it wasn't about race...7:35😎

[emmy]

Me and my husband work in North st Louis frequently. We can't even trust our locked vehicles to be left alone, so while one works the other will watch the car. I will admit there has been quite a few times where someone walks up to my car and puts their hands to the window trying to see inside. Cops called each time but of course they cant-don't do anything. Also see many people walking around clearly on drugs, twitching and yelling, cussing and talking to themselves. North st Louis is nearly 100% ghetto and if you venture there bring a weapon, it is not safe.

[KiddBloo]

Between this and the obvious white flight that my mother and aunts lived thru, North STL never stood a chance. I hope we the people will change this soon.

[Danadane]

Did he actually say, “A bit of racism”?!! 🤬