The Effects of Redlining and Food Deserts in Jacksonville Words & photos by Kelila Ritchie In a city where Whole Foods, Publix and Fresh Market can amicably exist with-
More words to add to your vocabulary set today: environmental racism.
in a three-mile radius from each other, just on the other side of a connecting bridge, an entire community struggles to make ends meet daily.
Environmental racism is the intentional siting of pollution and waste facilities in communities primarily populated by BIPOC communities. These communi-
This is the situation in District 7. One of the largest districts in Jacksonville
ties are disproportionately subjected to toxic fumes, dust, ash, soot and so
and arguably, the most underserved community in Jacksonville, District 7 in-
many other pollutants that are detrimental to the overall health of humans.
cludes northwest Jacksonville (also known as the Northside) historic East-
Maintaining a healthy environment is crucial to increasing the quality of life
side, Downtown and surrounding areas. It’s also the result of redlining, which
and longevity of life in communities. This is obviously stating the obvious.
leads to food deserts, among other things.
Race and location should not be a determinant in how someone lives.
REDLINING
In the same breath, by placing these communities in the rut of Jacksonville
During the Great Depression, the American government created a system
(created also by Jacksonville), the property values of these areas continued
known as the Home Ownership Loan Corporation (HOLC). The HOLC’s pur-
to decrease.
pose was to help aid Americans in home purchasing and stimulate economic recovery. Through this system, entire neighborhoods across cities were cat-
“While the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed racial segregation in hous-
egorized and mapped based on a perceived risk in lending. This map influ-
ing, BIPOC communities were historically deprived of the ability to generate
enced lenders in making decisions about where and who to provide mortgag-
wealth through homeownership due to the practice of redlining, while white
es to. As we have seen time and time again, a common theme in America is
communities prospered,” according to LISC Jacksonville.
to punish the poor and BIPOC communities (Black, indigenous and people of color). In this instance, redlining served as a huge detriment to not only poor
Thus, communities such as Durkeeville continued to plunge while commu-
families but especially poor BIPOC families. These “perceived risks” were
nities like Riverside enjoyed access to resources and services that promot-
based solely on financial and racial factors. (By now, I am sure you know
ed and provided economic stability and certainty; in a sense, leaving entire
where this article is going so let’s get right into it.) The segmentation on
communities behind. Consequently, significant, racialized gaps in wealth and
“Residential Security Maps” showed neighborhoods that were labeled “low
other areas continue to exist to this very day.
risk” or “A”/”B,” medium risk or “C” and high risk or “D” where lenders would not loan at all.
Today, the same communities impacted by redlining, the same communities that were deemed untrustworthy, unworthy by lenders 100 years ago, are the
These segmented maps placed predominantly Black, indigenous and POC
same communities that are being largely underserved and under-resourced
communities in red, high-risk zones. As a result of being in red zones, these
today.
communities were blatantly denied access to mortgages, any sort of refinancing options or home improvement loans.
FOOD DESERTS Food deserts are areas in a city where residents have little to no convenient
According to LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation) Jacksonville, this was
options for obtaining affordable and healthy foods — especially fresh pro-
deemed justifiable by the Federal Housing Administration which alleged that
duce. Food deserts are disproportionately found in poverty stricken areas.
wherever African-Americans purchased homes, property values were guar-
This is largely attributed to the lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets or any
anteed to fall. Structural racism has once again placed Black families at the
other healthy food providers in the area.
bottom of the barrel scraping to get by on little to no resources. The National Institutes of Health (NIA) defines structural racism as the “totality of ways
If you have ever been to the heart of the Northside, or even just across the
in which societies foster discrimination via mutually reinforcing systems, in-
railroad tracks into Mixontown, you will see multiple corner stores or “conve-
cluding historical events, such as slavery, Black Code and Jim Crow laws,
nience stores.” These small shops often provide a great amount of processed
and more recent events such as state-sanctioned racist laws in the form of
sugar and fatty foods that are well known factors in the obesity epidemic that
redlining.” Structural racism reinforces discriminatory beliefs, values and dis-
America faces. There are many family homes on the Northside, communities
tribution of resources.
that people are proud to be from and rep with a smile. But what do you do when your grandmother wants a home cooked meal and instead of a Publix
As an African-American woman living in 2023, I often am faced with the reali-
being two miles away, Popeyes or McDonald’s takes it place?
ty that many non- black POC and our white counterparts do not acknowledge or want to acknowledge that structural racism is constantly playing a role in
Imagine a mother without transportation is making lunch for her children
the day-to-day lives of Black Americans.
wanting to get them fresh fruit but instead of Whole Foods being within walking distance, it’s just a corner store full of GMO-pumped fruits that have likely
As a result of redlining, entire BIPOC communities were banished to “unre-
been dropped repeatedly on the dirtiest floor you could imagine. Additionally,
stricted/industrial zones,” that allowed literally any type of development.
on average two buses and a nearly two-hour trip are needed to get to the
This ranged from incinerators to factories.
nearest actual grocery store: Harvey’s Supermarket on Market Street.
30 Folio Weekly
