Who Reads These Signs Anyways?
Sarah Samynathan - LA 401 - Spring 2017 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
“People who are homeless a They are people w
are not social inadequates. without homes.� - Sheila McKechnie
table of contents
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cover letter curriculum vitae context science of stigma empathy-altruism just-world hypothesis lafayette sq. park pershing square people’s park bibliography
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To Whom It May Concern,
As I was growing up, I was raised with a certain cognizance towards the issue of homelessness, not in my hometown, but in the cities around me. We made sandwiches in my church and delivered them to different cities in the county. This gave me a sense of empathy towards this group of people who I knew were treated so poorly. Going into the design field, and eventually picking up a psychology minor, I understood that my designs had the ability to better the world for not only myself and those most similar to me, but for those who really did not know how to change or improve their situation. For my final thesis project, I would like to give back to a group who I think needs it most, and help change the mentality and stigma towards homelessness, especially in a city like San Francisco. I hope that this research booklet gives insight into what I plan to do and how I best hope to further explore these ideas within the next six months between research, contacts in the community, and design itself. Thank you in advance.
Sarah Samynathan
EDUCATION California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA College of Architecture and Environmental Design – Landscape Architecture College of Liberal Arts – Psychology Minor Dean’s List: Fall 2013, Winter 2014, Spring 2014, Fall 2015, Winter 2016 Santa Chiara Study Center, Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy Northwood High School, Irvine, CA
curriculum vitae
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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE EXPERIENCE SLO Map, San Luis Obispo, CA Research Assistant - Conduct community workshops to help foster a discussion about food systems in SL - Assist Landscape Architecture Professor Ellen Burke in executing interviews with farm
BrightView Design Group, Irvine, CA Landscape Architecture Intern - Constructed graphics to strengthen design proposal packages to clients for the Oran City of Newport Beach. - Worked alongside professionals to prepare and assist in leading client meetings.
Danielian Associates – Architecture and Planning, Irvine, CA Master Planning and Landscape Architecture Intern - Created image boards of possible design ideas for a project in Yixing, China. - Developed case study examples for a large community health center project in Yixin
CLUBS LABash 2015 Sponsorship Committee San Luis Obispo, CA - Coordinated with local businesses to sponsor LABASH, a conference uniting landsca held at Cal Poly in March 2015.
2014 Week of Welcome Leader, Orientation Team 2015 San Luis Obispo, CA - Participated in training to become a Week of Welcome leader for Cal Poly incoming - Led new Cal Poly students around to help them become accustomed to the San Luis - Trained and evaluated students interested in becoming Week of Welcome Leaders f - Helped plan and organize the Week of Welcome, which took place in September
2013 - Present
Fall 2016 2009 - 2013
September 2015 - Present
LO County. mers in the County.
June 2016 - August 2016
nge County Great Park, the City of Corona, and the
June 2014 - September 2014
ng, China.
Winter 2013 - March 2015
ape architecture professionals and students that was
g freshmen of Fall 2014 s Obispo area for Cal Poly
Spring 2014 - September 2015
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the f
fight
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San Francisco is only second to New York for amount of homeless individuals per sq. mile.* *(NY with 211/sq. mile and SF with 149/sq. mile)
However, San Francisco has a higher amount of “perpetually homeless” individuals, meaning that they are long-term. Homelessness also appears to be a larger problem in San Francisco since the densest area, The Tenderloin, butts up against the city center; “The largest percentage of San Francisco’s homeless are in District 6 which is also where you’ll find the headquarters for companies like Twitter, Uber and Commando.io” (Allday).
Sheltered and Unsheltered General Count (2015) District 1: 77 District 2: 60 District 3: 242 District 4: 7 District 5: 492 District 6: 4,191 District 7: 29 District 8: 342 District 9: 410 District 10: 1,272 District 11: 130 District 12: 252 Figure 1: (Allday)
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A 2013 report on homelessness in SF reported that 37% of homeless people suffer from mental illness. A majority had severe depression with 22% suffering from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia (Allday).
80-10-10 rule: 80% temporarily homeless, 10% chosen nomadic lifestyle, 10% mental illness. Compared to the rest of the country where this rule dictates the average, SF is in a league of its own. San Francisco continues to be one of the most expensive places to live in the country, therefore, finding housing for anyone is difficult and pricy, especially for the homeless. This is a huge barrier for progress in the city, as charities and nuns have been evicted while trying to help the homeless (Allday). A large problem is the dissent that the homeless face from wealthier individuals living and working in San Francisco. A working professional, unnamed, explained that “The reality is, we live in a free-market society. The wealthy working people have earned their right to live in the city.” They want the city to solve the problem, but for selfish reasons: “I shouldn’t have to see the pain, struggle and despair of homeless people to and from my way to work every day.”
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Concept
This project will create a space that acts as a memorial to the humanity that dies when someone becomes homeless. This then causes the rest of society to dehumanize and turn their back on them.
project
Thesis
This project will be based in San Francisco, CA and will create a space to break the stigma against homelessness by bringing light to the issues that face this population.
Why do we need a solution? Homelessness is an extremely visible form of poverty, due to them living in public spaces. Add that to the difficulties they face in respect to hygiene and they become aesthetically unappealing. The public perception of homelessness is likely to be influenced by a small number of highly visible homeless, either in the media or in their community. This small group is noticed for their unusual dangerous, disruptive, or unappealing behavior/appearance. From this small population, it becomes generalized across the entire homeless population.
Schedule
Summer 2017
- Contact to interview and gain research data - Interview homeless individuals in Bay Area - Find a site and conduct site analysis
Fall 2017
- Compile data and research into infographic forms - Begin researching furniture design and site design.
Winter 2018
- Finalize site design - Create all deliverables
Professional Contacts Dr. Julie Garcia - Cal Poly Professor for Psychology of Gender course - Research completed in studying stigma Dr. Daniel Levi - Cal Poly Professor for Environmental Psych. course Miracle Messages Homeless GoPro Project Homeless Connect Community Housing Partnership, SF Coalition on Homelessness
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the psychology
y behind stigma
science of stigma 9
stig·ma /’stigm / noun 1. a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
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e
Several studies have discovered that Americans tend to attribute poverty to poor people’s personal shortcomings. In a study done by Feagin in 1975, they found that when respondents evaluated the causes of poverty, this is where they placed the most importance (defined as “very important” reasons for poverty): On poor people’s behavioral characteristics: 1. lack of thrift and proper money management (59%) 2. lack of effort (57%) 3. lack of ability and talent (54%) 4. loose morals and drunkenness (50%) On economic and social factors: 1. low wages (43%) 2. scarcity of jobs (29%) 3. poor schools (38%) 4. racial discrimination (34%) For example, if those at the bottom of the economic heap are viewed as having arrived there because of their own shortcomings, responsibility is shifted from structural components of the stratification system to the individual.
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The empathy-altruism theory states that empathetic concern produces altruistic motivation to help others.
Daniel Batson, social psychologist, did a study in 1981 that looked into the motivations that caused people to help others (Batson). He found that observation of a person in an unfortunate situation can either produce empathetic concern or personal distress (guilt, negative emotions). Three factors facilitate perspective of empathy: 1. the observer has had similar experiences 2. the observer is attached to the victim 3. the person is instructed to imagine what it is like to be in the victim’s position.
“Empathy evokes altruistic motivation to reduce another person’s distress whereas personal distress evokes an egoistic motivation to reduce one’s own distress.” This theory may explain why in certain situations involving the homeless, we choose to escape our discomfort rather than help the individual. For example, if possible we cross the street to avoid the discomfort we would face if we had to walk in front of them. This temporarily eases our guilt. In addition, social media has caused us to become egotistical even when we do choose to help. For example, posting a photo of you volunteering at a homeless shelter with family or friends helps you feel that you are a good person.
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empathy-altruism
just-world hypothesis 13
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“The just-world hypothesis is the belief that, in general, the social environment is fair, such that people get what they deserve. A just world is defined as a world in which people do get what they deserve.” In 1965, a study by Melvin Lerner and colleagues was done where they videotaped a simulated learning experiment where it appeared that the victims of the tape were being electric shocked (Andre). They then showed these videos to individuals. They found that subjects formed much lower opinions of the victims when there was no possibility of relief. Lerner concluded, “the sight of an innocent person suffering without possibility of reward or compensation motivated people to devalue the attractiveness of the victim in order to bring about a more appropriate fit between her fate and her character.”
“The hypothesis is important because it suggests that people may treat certain victims badly, oddly enough, out of a desire to sustain their belief in justice.” The problem with this theory is that people think that they worked hard for their money, so any poor person is lazy, a drug addict, or just meant to be poor. The problem is that this thinking seems just, and that certain people are undeserving of charity and help.
case st
tudies
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lafayette sq
Oaklan
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quare park
nd, CA
Figure 2: (“Fair Landscapes for All Americans”)
lafayette square park
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e 3: (Bressi)
mound “Visual separation allows many different users to enjoy the park in separate spaces and to avoid others with whom they might conflict” -The Field ASLA
“They’re all coexisting, and it’s precisely because the designer did what Laurie [Olin] and I would not have done.’ - Randolph Hester
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“A decade ago the park was beset by maintenance problems, unsanitary conditions and drug use; at one point police tried to forcibly evict its homeless users. Community and social service groups protested and persuaded the city to launch a redesign that involved park regulars, as well as businesses, public safety officials and social agencies. (Bressi)”
“Just because many of the people are homeless, it doesn’t have to feel like an encampment. This is why I do public spaces. Who else is thinking about those guys in this way? And they take good care of it!” - Walter Hood (designer)
Design Features for Coexistence: - smaller separate areas for variety of users - mounds to block sight of “undesirables” - multiple restrooms *one of the restrooms now has a barber shop inside for those in need of a haircut - not formally designed - shade/rain structures
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pershing
Los Ange
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g square
geles, CA
Figure 4: (Stephens)
pershing square 21
before
after
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Pershing Square is located in Downtown LA, just a few blocks away from Skid Row. Skid Row is a 43-block area where the nation’s largest population of homeless sleep and live on public property. The park has changed numerous times over the years but has developed a large population of homeless.
“Why can’t Americans just be honest with themselves and put the homeless in camps. Love thy neighbor, not.” - Online comment concerning Pershing Square When visiting Pershing Square, the thing that stands out the most is the shocking amount of homeless individuals that populate the space. The square has been uninviting due to the numerous amounts of homeless individuals and the smell of urine. Besides already being an aesthetically unappealing design, the homelessness present makes the space look even more poorly taken care of. Even with all the anti-homeless design features that the designers have purposefully implemented, the homeless have stayed. Pershing Square’s Anti-Homeless features: - individual seat arm rails - curved seat walls - no shade structures
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people’
Berkele
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’s park
ey, CA
Figure 6: (“People’s Park”)
people’s park
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People’s Park is a unique place, it is located in Berkeley, CA and was created during the radical activism that took place in the late 1960s. While the site has plenty of history in terms of its protests in the 60s and its controversy today, it is mainly used as a sanctuary for the large homeless population rather than as a public park. It has public restrooms, but again is mostly utilized by the large homeless population (Tempest).
“They say, ‘Why do we have to build more housing in Berkeley? They can go live somewhere else.’ But I don’t think that’s going to address the problem of homelessness. We can’t build a wall and say, ‘Go live in Nevada’. We’re going to have to have a community approach.” - Tom White Part of the tension stems from the park’s proximity to the University of California, Berkeley. In fact, it sits just three blocks south of the edge of campus. The campus has continuously considered tearing the park out to create additional dorms and accommodations for students (Tempest).
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“Founded in 1969, People’s Park in Berkeley, California is a gathering place for Community, History, Free Speech, Social Justice, Civil Rights, Gardens, Music, Education, Recreation, Ecology, Sports, and more.” - Quote from People’s Park Website In summer of 2016, a man was stabbed at People’s Park. Naturally, this raised the question of how safe the park is. This incident is not isolated, but rare. The solution that the city came to deal with the problem to prevent future occurrences, are change the design and maintenance of the property. The city has since cut down many trees and shrubs to increase visibility and safety in the park, especially in evenings (“People’s Park”).
“Once People’s Park is off limits, the homeless are going to go to [Telegraph] Avenue The University will then say the Avenue is a problem.” - Curtis Bray
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bibliography
Works Cited Allday, Erin. “The Streets’ Sickest, Costliest: The Mentally Ill.” San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco Chronicle, 29 June 2016. Web. - Statistics on the topic of homelessness in San Francisco specifically Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. “The Just World Theory.” Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara University, 13 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 June 2017. - Research and definitions on just-world theory Batson, C. Daniel. Altruism in Humans. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. Print. - Research on altruism-empathy theory Bercovici, Jeff. “Can A GoPro Help Build Empathy for S.F.’s ‘Extreme’ Homeless?” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 14 Apr. 2014. Web. - Professional Contact for Homeless GoPro and Miracle Messages Bishop, Deborah. “The People’s Park.” Dwell. Dwell Magazine, 28 Feb. 2009. Web. - Research on Lafayette Square Park, Oakland, CA Bressi, Todd W., and Ilaria Salvadori. “Lafayette Square [EDRA / Places Awards -- Design].” Places 14.1 (2001): 10-13. EScholarship. Web. - Research on Lafayette Square Park, Oakland, CA “Design Resources for Homelessness.” Design Resources for Homelessness. N.p., 2016. Web. - Website that discusses how design can help change homelessness issue Duane, Daniel. “The Tent Cities of San Francisco.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 17 Dec. 2016. Web. - Research on topic of homelessness in San Francisco “Fair Landscapes for All Americans.” The Field ASLA. ASLA, 23 July 2015. Web. - Research on Lafayette Square Park, Oakland, CA Fast Company Staff. “Landscape Architect Walter Hood Aims to Build Community- Inclusive Spaces.” Fast Company. Fast Company Magazine, 10 Oct. 2010. Web. - Research on Lafayette Square Park, Oakland, CA Hill, Kashmir. “Why Does San Francisco See to Have Such a Huge Homeless Problem?” Fusion. Fusion, 18 Feb. 2016. Web. - Statistics on homelessness in San Francisco “Homelessness 101.” Homeless Hub. Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2017. Web. - Database with many links and useful information on homelessness
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“Just-World Hypothesis.” Psychology IResearch. N.p., n.d. Web. - Research on just-world theory Knight, Heather. “What San Franciscans Know about Homeless Isn’t Necessarily True.” SF Gate. SF Gate, 29 June 2016. Web. - Research on homelessness in San Francisco Mitchell, Don. “The End of Public Space? People’s Park, Definitions of the Public, and Democracy.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 85.1 (1995): 108-33. JSTOR. Web. - Journal discussing People’s Park, Berkeley, CA “People’s Park.” People’s Park Official Website. N.p., n.d. Web. - The goals of People’s Park through the eyes of the people who protect it Pesky, Nathan. “Poverty and the “Just World Hypothesis”.” Pando. N.p., 13 Feb. 2014. Web. - Research on just-world hypothesis Phelan, Jo, Bruce G. Link, Robert E. Moore, and Ann Stueve. “The Stigma of Homelessness: The Impact of the Label “Homeless” on Attitudes Toward Poor Persons.” Social Psychology Quarterly 60.4 (1997): 323-37. JSTOR. Web. - Journal on stigma of homelessness and poverty “6686 Civic Disgrace.” San Francisco Chronicle: Beyond Homelessness. San Francisco Chronicle, 3 July 2016. Web. - Research and statistics on homelessness in San Francisco Stephens, Josh. “Los Angeles Seeks to Revive “Worst Public Space in America”.” Next City. N.p., 10 Dec. 2015. Web. - Research and opinions on Pershing Square, Los Angeles, CA Tempest, Rone. “It’s Still a Battlefield.” The Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2006. Web. - Opinions on People’s Park, Berkeley, CA Waters, Rob. “Berkeley’s Liberal Image in Question amid Homeless Crisis: ‘The Soul of Our City Is at Stake’.” The Guardian. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 15 Mar. 2017. Web. - Homelessness in Berkeley, “Hilton for the Homeless” argument
Thank You Sarah Samynathan (949) 584-8808 ssamynat@calpoly.edu