Running head: COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

Community Assessment
Mary Glass
Wayne State University

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

2
Community Assessment

The Village of Warren started in 1837. Historians debate about its namesake
though. Some historians state it was named after the first Revolutionary War hero, General
Joseph Warren who never actually came to the area of Warren. Other historians state it was
named after the War of 1812 hero, Reverend Abel Warren, who lived in the area with his wife,
Sara, from 1824 until his death in 1862 (The Warren Historical and Genealogical Society, 2011).
For over 100 years, the area was mainly farmland with a few businesses. Warren was
incorporated into an official city in 1957, with a population of 63,000 people (Neil, 1971).
Warren is the third largest city in Michigan. The city is often viewed as divided by north and
south. The south end starts and 8 Mile Road and stops at 11 Mile Road. The north section is
from 11 Mile road to 14 Mile Road. The east and west boundary roads are Hayes and Dequindre.
Due to the citys extensive square miles, it has five different zip codes, 48088, 48089, 48091,
48092, and 48093. The southern area is 48089 and 48091 and the northern area is 48088, 48092,
and 48093. Due to the extensive size of the City of Warren, this paper will focus on the 48089
and 48091 areas of the city.
Community Description-2000
The overall population for the City of Warren in 2000 was 138,247 with over 90%
belonging to the Caucasian race (US Department of Commerce, 2015). The other recognized
races were African American, Asian and Hispanic. According to the US Census website (2015),
the citizens who were in the 25 to 54 age range represent about 42% of the city and the residents
62 and older were 20.2%. Twenty-three percent of the population was under 18 years old (US
Department of Commerce, 2015). More than 80% of the homeowners lived in their home
(Onboard Informatics, 2015). Only 3% of the houses were vacant (The Warren Historical and

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

Genealogical Society, 2011). Over 66% of the citizens lived in family households; 11.7% of
those were led by females (US Department of Commerce, 2015).
The 48091 area population was 31,985 in 2000. Over 50% of the population was from 25
to 54 years old age range and the over 17% were 62 and older (US Department of Commerce,
2015). Residents 18 years old and under represented 25 % of the population. The majority was
white (88.3%) and the minorities were blacks (4.4%), Asian (3.4%), Hispanic (1.6%) (City of
Warren, 2015). Eighty percent of the homes were occupied by the owner (US Department of
Commerce, 2015).
According to the US Census website (2015), the area 48089 population was 34,268 in
2000. About 45% of the population was in the 25 to 54 age range, 14% of the residents were 62
and older, and 27.6% were under 18 years old (US Department of Commerce, 2015). The races
represented were 90.8% white, 2.7% black, 2.8% Asian, and 1.7% Hispanic (City of Warren,
2015). Owners occupied 74% of the home in the 48089 area (US Department of Commerce,
2015).
Cumulatively, 66,253 people in the south area of the city, representing just under half of
the overall population. There were twelve parks, two recreation centers, and two libraries in the
southern area. The parks varied in size and available equipment. A kids summer camp was
offered to local residents at all the parks throughout the city. However, the participants who
attended the park programs at the southern end did not have to pay the weekly fee as the
participants at the northern parks had to pay. The children at the southern end only had to pay
for specific field trips. The parks at the southern end were not kept very clean and the restrooms
and play structures were dilapidated. There were tennis courts with no nets and the area was
overgrown with weeds. The two libraries were in old dimly lighted buildings with a small

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

selection of books and programs. One recreation center was located in the 48091 area and one in
48089 area. In 48091 area, the building was an old Domestic Support Operation (DSO) named
Fitzgerald Recreation Center. It was given minor repairs, but visibly in need of major repairs. An
annual craft show was held there and many senior programs were offered. Owen Jax Recreation
Center was in the 48089 area. Its condition was similar to the other recreation center. Macomb
Countys Area on Aging offered a dining style meals on wheels program in the facility. An after
school youth program from Monday- Friday was offered. Ceramic and scrapbooking classes
were offered weekly to adults during the day.
Each zip code had a separate school district. Van Dyke Public School District consisted of
one high school, one middle school, and six elementary schools in the 48089 area. Fitzgerald
consisted of one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools in the 48091 area.
I was unable to find graduation rates or highest level of education completed for this time period.
Warren offers many city services, yet has an above average crime rate in comparison to
other US cities (Onboard Informatics, 2015). Garbage was collected from the curb each week.
Streets were sweep of debris and plowed of snow, as necessary. Warren has one police
department and six fire stations. One fire departments is located in the 48089 area and one is in
48091 area. The remaining four stations are in the northern section of the city. According to
City-Data.com, there were 5 murders, 63 rapes, 191 robberies, 559 assaults, 769 burglaries,
2,584 thefts, 1462 auto thefts, and 58 arsons in entire city of Warren in 2001 (2015).
There were many local services available to residents in the southern section of the city. It
had almost 20 churches and a large salvation army. Most of the churches were Catholic,
Lutheran, or Baptist and one was a Jehovah Witness facility. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in
the 48089 area has a long history of partnering with the city officials to offer programs to its

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
local residents (The Warren Historical and Genealogical Society, 2011). The Salvation Army
offered a variety of services to the residents.
Businesses and jobs were plentiful in Warren. Being just north of Detroit, when the
white flight occurred many of the automobile companies settled throughout the Warren area
(Neil, 1971). GM and Chrysler are two large automotive companies in Warren along with many
small privately owned companies, who make small parts for the bigger companies. A Chrysler
plant covers more than 4 square miles in the 48089 area (The Warren Historical and
Genealogical Society, 2011). A grocery store, restaurant and shopping center was located within
a mile of most residents homes. The economy was doing well in Warren in 2000. The average
household income was $44,626 (US Department of Commerce, 2015). The several books,
article and website I viewed did not list an unemployment rate. Due to the numerous unions in
the various manufacturing shops in Warren, many people were voting for Democratic Party
candidates.
Current Community Description
Warrens overall population in 2010 was 134,056 with 78.4% classifying themselves as
members of the white race (US Department of Commerce, 2015). The other recognized races
were African American (13.5 %), Asian (4.6%) and Hispanic (2.1%) (City of Warren, 2015).
According to the US Census website (2015), the residents were in three major age categories,
19% were 62 and older, 41% were 25 to 54 years old and 23% were under 18 years old.
Currently 92% of the houses were occupied by 74.3% of their owners (US Department of
Commerce, 2015). Sixty-four percent of the residents live in a family household are 64%; of
those households 16% were led by females only and 6 % were led by males only.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

The population in the 48091 area has decreased to 31,106 in 2010 (US Department of
Commerce, 2015) According to the US Census website (2015), the results of the census
administered in 2010 is 15% are 62 and older, 42% are 25 to 54 years old age range and 25% are
18 years old and under. The majority race is still white (72%); however, the minorities
population have increased, Blacks are now 16.7%, Asian are 6.9%, and Hispanic are 2.4% (City
of Warren, 2015). Of the 63.1% of the families in the area living in family households, 19% are
led by females alone and 7.5 are led by male alone (US Department of Commerce, 2015).
Owners occupy 72% of their homes while 9% of the homes are vacant (Onboard Informatics,
2015).
The 2010 Census calculated that the 48089 area population is 31,978 (US Department of
Commerce, 2015). Thirteen percent of the residents are 62 and older, about 43% of the
population is in the 25 to 54 age range, and 27% are under 18 years old (City of Warren, 2015).
The races represented were 72.4% white, 20.2% black, 3% Asian, and 2.5% Hispanic (US
Department of Commerce, 2015). Of those 65% of families living in households, 21.5% are led
by a female only and 7.7% are led by a male only (City of Warren, 2015). The home vacancy rate
has increased to 11% and only 64% of residents live in a house they own (Onboard Informatics,
2015).
The population for the southern area was 63,084, which was still about half of the citys
total population. There are now 13 parks in the southern area. GM partnered with Van Dyke
Public School in 2013 to clean up one of the larger parks near the school. A student even created
a beautiful mural on the restroom building wall, which has not been covered by neighborhood
graffiti. Three of the parks restrooms were completely renovated because of a grant in 2014. The
play structures have been repaired; however, people break the components often. A grant was

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

obtained to build a new toddler park next to Owen Jax Recreation Center. Many families can
now bring their toddlers to a park built just for them. Although, many older children play on the
equipment and destroy it. The tennis courts still have no nets and the cracks have not been filled,
so the weeds are cut with weedwhippers. The kids summer camp was cancelled throughout the
city in 2011. The libraries are still the same dimly light building with little resources.
Nevertheless, when the city closed them down in 2010 claiming to only have enough money to
keep the newly built library at Warrens City Hall opened, the local residents agreed to pay a
millage to keep their neighborhood libraries open.
Fitzgerald Recreation Center was closed in 2006 by Mayor Steenburgh because of the
amount of repairs it needed. When Mayor Fouts, the current mayor, took office in 2007 he
arranged for the building to be repaired and reopened. The local seniors were happy to have the
facility opened again. A preschool program is available on Wednesday during the school year
and TACOM, a military company, rents the building in the summer to host a day camp for
TACOM employees children. Owen Jax Recreation Center received a new gym floor and
lighting throughout the building in 2010. A camera surveillance system was also installed in the
building and the toddler park. Many petty theft crimes have been solved due to the video
footage. After the flood in 2014, a new floor was installed where the dining style Meals on
Wheels program is still held. The after school program has been reduced to three days a week,
Tuesday- Thursday, due to funding and lack of participation. Ceramic and scrapbooking classes
are still offered during the day. The facility can also be rented for family/friend gatherings.
The school districts have experienced some changes. The Van Dyke Public School
District and Fitzgerald Public School District are still the main public school system in the area.
Macomb Montessori Academy opened on 2013 and offers a tuition free education for students in

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

K-8th grade. Van Dyke Public school have closed three of the six elementary schools; however,
the high school was completely renovated and a technical training facility was built on the school
property. Fitzgerald Public Schools have closed one elementary school; however, one of the
remaining elementary schools was completely rebuilt in 2004. Fitzgerald also has a technical
training facility available as an option to high school students. Fitzgerald High School has a
clinic which offers physical and mental health services to the community for youth up to 21
years of age sponsored by Henry Ford Health Systems. According to data collected in 2011,
79.7% of residents aged 25 years or older in the Van Dyke Public School District have completed
high school, 8% have attained a bachelors degree and 2.1% have earned a Graduate degree
(Onboard Informatics, 2015). The graduation rate is 71.96% in the Van Dyke School District
(Michigan Department of Education, 2015). Fitzgerald School district results were a little more
positive. Data collected in 2011 calculated over 80% of the residents 25 years and older living in
the area finished high school, 11% completed a Bachelors degree, and just under 3% finished a
Graduate degree (Onboard Informatics, 2015). The graduation rate is 71.25% at Fitzgerald High
School (Michigan Department of Education, 2015).
The City of Warren continues to offer many city services, yet it also continues to have an
above average crime rate in comparison to the US. The city has not outsourced its garbage
pickup as many of the surrounding cities have done. The streets are still swept and the snow is
still plowed. Warren has one police department and six fire stations. The locations of the fire
departments have not changed. In 2010, a Warren Fire Department EMS transport vehicle was
reinstated at each of the six fire stations. The residents have requested a police substation to be
built in the southern end of the city; however, their demands have not been granted. The only
police department in located in the center of the city. City-data.com reports (2015), there were

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

no murders, 91 rapes, 148 robberies, 476 assaults, 999 burglaries, 2,049 thefts, 739 auto thefts,
and 53 arsons in entire city of Warren in 2012.
As noted on Appendix F, there are more local resources available to residents in the
southern section of the city than in 2000. The area still has many churches which host various
outreach programs, like food banks and preschool programs. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
has DHS workers available twice a week to assist residents with forms or any basic questions.
Once a week, Friend of the Court lawyers are available to assist residents with child support
needs. The Salvation Army offers shelter for the homeless, free hot lunch daily, and numerous
youth services. Macomb County Community Service Agency offers rent, mortgage, and utility
assistance, plus transportation for seniors to medical appointments.
Due to Warren being a city built on manufacturing jobs when the economy was down,
thousands of people lost their jobs. Small shops closed because the bigger companies did not
need their services. Between 17-19% of the 48091 and 48089 area residents 25 years and older
were unemployed in 2011 (Onboard Informatics, 2015). In 2011, the median income $38,116
(City of Warren, 2015).Warren residents are still vote strongly for Democratic Party candidates
as shown be the results on the previous elections. Some of the grocery stores, shopping centers,
and restaurants closed, but there are still many options within a mile from a residents home
(Onboard Informatics, 2015). A small farmers market was started in 2013 because the city was
awarded a grant from the USDA.
Community Functioning
The City of Warren residents have various functioning levels. As shown in Appendix A,
the city functions at an average level. In regards to production, distribution, and consumption,
the residents in the southern area of the city tends to consume more than it produces or

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

10

distributes. Just prior to 2000, the housing market was doing very well. Therefore, many people
living in the southern area of Warren and working at the automotive companies or other wellpaying jobs, bought houses in suburbs further north. Currently, the area is considered low
income, so most of the improvements made have been funded by state and federal grants. The
improvements to the schools, Owen Jax Recreation Center, the construction of the adjacent
toddler park, the updates in the parks restrooms, and the farmers market were all provided by
grants because of the areas low income status. Prior to the grants, the building were in need of
repair and the farmers market did not exist.
In 2000, just under 90% of the area was white (US Department of Commerce, 2015).
African American, Asian, and Hispanic combined made up the other 10% (City of Warren,
2015). Since the majority of the area was white from mainly European descent their norms,
traditions and values were similar. Currently, the area is more diversified. It has a substantial
increase of minorities in the area, especially African American. In 2010, only 72% on the area is
from the white race, while an average of 18% are African American, 5% are Asian, 2% are
Hispanic, and the remaining population are other races. The different ethnicities do not blend
their cultural activities or take the time to learn about the new minorities cultural; so therefore,
they have become quite divided.
In 2000, the southern area had many public facilities, houses, and businesses in need of
repair. Blight was permissible. In 2008, Mayor Fouts established the City of Warrens Blight
Team to exhibit social control over the area. Twice a year, the blight team travels block by block
through the residential areas south of 10 Mile Road to distribute citations for any city ordinance
violation. The residential areas north of 10 Mile Road will only receive a citation if an actual

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

11

complaint is made. The social control in the southern area is viewed as oppressive and
discriminatory by its residents.
Children in the southern area used to have many different activities and programs to
participate in during early 2000s. Now the most widely known benefits are for the residents in
the older adult programs at both of the southern recreation centers locations. Adults, 55 and
older, can participate in a special party for each holiday during the Meals on Wheels dining style
meal at Owen Jax Recreation Center. Additional parties offered by the parks and recreation
department are an Over 80 Party and Senior Sweethearts 50th Anniversary.
Since the ethnicity and heritage were similar in many of the residents who lived in the
southern area in 2000, they attended many events together. If you did not know your neighbor
very well, the blackout of 2003 brought the residents out of their homes to share all their freezer
items with their neighbors. Mutual support was displayed by the neighbors helping others after
the flood that destroyed many residents homes and businesses in August 2014. Warren residents
may not know their neighbors as well as a small close knit community; however, when a large
natural disasters occur, people tend to help each other.
While living in Warren during in the early 2000s, it was obvious many of the neighbors
watched each others homes when residents took vacations or during work hours. Our neighbor
use to bring treats to my sons because my family would check on her periodically as she was an
elderly widowed woman living alone. Prior to us moving out of Warren in 2013, the residents
did not concern themselves with the safety or wellbeing of their neighbor. Numerous people
come into the recreation center after being beaten by others for the little valuables they own.
They share that people were around but no one came to their aid. Residents isolate themselves in
their homes or yards.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

12

Once again as the residents were quite similar in the early 2000s, their communication
was effortless. Presently, the lack of communication affects the community. There is a need to
address communication as a separate function (Netting, Kettner, McMurtry, & Thomas, 2012).
The school system and city services are slowly adjusting to the diversified city population in
representation and city services available.
Analysis of Changes
Even though the population is more diversified, the leaders and opportunities for
engagement have not changed much. The diversity of the current population is not represented in
the city government, police or fire department. The majority of the school personnel are white
males. There are not any cultural centers area to assist the residents in learning more about the
changing population.
People aware of Warrens vulnerable population have created ways for them to access
services. There are numerous programs to address the poverty and transportation issues of the
residents. Due to the increase of family household being led by just a male or a female, Mount
Calvary Lutheran Church has partnered with various government programs to provide easier
access to services like Friend of the Court and DHS assistance at their facility. Services for the
elderly population have increased since 2000. Both of the recreation centers which provide
activities for the elderly have been remodeled to accommodate the programs. Mayor Fouts is
beloved by the elderly residents because of his work to fulfill their requests of activities and
programs. Although the population under 18 years old has increased in the area, yet four
elementary schools were closed.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

13

Community Member Interaction

Fifteen years ago, the population was mainly lower to middle class incomes Caucasian
with Christian beliefs. Therefore, the whole section of the city interacted with each other
because of their similarities. Now the majority of the population is still Caucasian; however, the
minorities races have increased in number. Christianity is still the widely held belief, though
residents who practice Muslims and Hinduism have moved into the area. Many of the middle
class people have left that section of the city, leaving just the low income residents. There are
challenges when the nurturing systems of a group differ than the values, beliefs, traditions, and
practices of the sustaining system (Netting, Kettner, McMurtry, & Thomas, 2012). Currently, the
residents of south Warren tend to segregate themselves. School children tend to separate into
their racial and religious beliefs groups, although some children have a diverse group of friends.
At the senior centers, the races are divided amongst the tables. Rarely will an African American
person been seen sitting with a Caucasian person. In regards to the age of people, the elderly
tends to be annoyed with the younger generation, therefore there is not much interaction between
them. The residents who have resided in Warren for more than 20 years tend to blame the
increase crime rates and decreased property values on the new minority population.
The communities surrounding south Warren are Eastpointe, Hazel Park, Detroit,
Centerline, and the north area of Warren. The residents of Hazel Park and Eastpointe share many
similar characteristics with the south Warren residents and have segregated themselves
accordingly. The section of Detroit south of Warren is mainly African Americans living in
poverty (Onboard Informatics, 2015).Working at Owen Jax Recreation Center I learned many
Detroit residents do not want to cross the 8 Mile Road border because of their fear of
discrimination from police officers; nevertheless, the majority of the increase in African

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

14

American population in south Warren were previous Detroit residents. Centerline is a small
community with higher property taxes than Warren. (Onboard Informatics, 2015). Their
residents are mainly Caucasian from low to middle class, however their population is changing
(US Department of Commerce, 2015). North Warren residents make a large effort to distinguish
itself from south Warren. Many northern residents have express fear in participating in activities
in the southern area.
Community Perspectives
Applying Power, Politics, and Change Theories, will explain the actions of the residents
in the south area of Warren. Due to the low socioeconomic status of the residents, they do not
have a strong representation in the overall citys decision making. The city council is split up
into five districts which are divided into regions of both the north and south areas of the city. The
only exception is one area currently represented by Robert Boccomino in just the southern end.
There are also two at large council members. Even though the representatives are expected to
represent the entire area from north to south, the only council member who is actively seen
participating in activities in the south end is Robert Boccomino.
The high poverty level of the residents results in a dependency on government programs.
According to the Michigan Department of Education, residents from Van Dyke and Fitzgerald
school districts have scored between 16-17 on ACT test and 5% or less are prepared for college
(2015). The school districts inability to provide an education which will prepare the students to
attend college, decreases their ability to attain a college degree and earn a higher income to
eliminate their dependency on government assistance programs.
The majority of the residents are part of the have not group. Due to their everyday
focus on maintaining the basic needs of housing, food, employment, and medical assistance, they

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

15

do not often join together to attempt to improve their community. The only group who continues
to band together are the elderly population who are long standing residents in the area and
consistently communicate their needs directly to the Mayor, who in turn satisfies their requests to
the best of his ability. The majority of the haves group are located in the northern area of
Warren and, as stated before, are not interested in the issues of the southern area.
Local churches, schools, and businesses make various attempts to coordinate programs.
However, the assistance is not widely advertised. Residents will visit the recreation centers in
hope of finding out where to get assistance or even activities for their children. The recreation
center staff mainly live in the northern area of the city and are not knowledgeable of the activities
available for resident with the exception of the few services available at the centers. Fitzgerald
School District has partnered with Henry Ford to offer a clinic in the high school for residents
throughout the area to age 21, however, the information is only widely known to residents in the
Fitzgerald district.
Individual Reflection
Living in Warren for thirteen years and working for various parks and recreation
programs and as an election worker for eight years has afforded me a unique perspective on
Warren. I lived in two different areas in the southern area of Warren. My family and I purchased
our first house in the 48091 area in 1999. My husband and I grew up in the nearby city of
Madison Heights and was informed that the property taxes and school taxes in Warren were
significantly less than our hometown. We had plans to homeschooled our children so we
preferred to spend our money on educating our children, not the overall school district. Being
young, we did not realize that the poor education received from the school district affected the
population and the type of people that want to live in the area. We were also not aware of the city

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

16

divide. Initially our neighbors were employed homeowners with families. There were a few
elderly people in close proximity to us which we also formed relationships with.
After about five years the housing market was doing well and we could sell our house for
a substantial profit to buy a larger home on a double lot in the 48089 area. We happily moved
into the area. Our block was filled with Caucasian families and an elderly Caucasian man lived
across the street. The neighbors were always outside interacting with each other. However, as
the economy started to worsen, my neighbors starting losing their jobs and their homes. The
neighborhood was quickly changing from one rental home on the block to all rentals. My
husband also lost his well-paying job in 2009 and we eventually had to sell our home with a
short sale agreement because our home had lost over $130,000 in value. As the other families
who had left the area, we knew the housing market was not going to return to what it had been
anytime in the near future.
While living in Warren, we frequented the parks. While living in the 48091 area, many of
my childrens birthday parties were held at the nearby park. My sons participated in soccer,
which was played on fields in the north Warren area only. If the city tried to schedule practice or
playing time in the south area, the northern residents would refuse to attend. As we read the
Newsbeat, the parks and recreations quarterly magazine, we quickly noticed many programs and
activities were only offered in the northern area of the city. Family activities greatly decreased in
the southern area when the Warren Community Center offering a library, an indoor waterpark,
four gyms, fitness center, auditorium, several meeting rooms was built in 2003 in north Warren.
Since many of the residents of Warren are still from European descent and have Christian beliefs,
my family continued to be part of the majority in regards to ethnicity and cultural needs in the
south area.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

17

My employment with the city has broaden my outlook of the city divide. I started
working in parks in the south area of the city in 2007. I quickly learned if I kept the park
grounds and bathroom clean. The families would filled the park and there would be little
criminal activities in the park during the day. While working Owen Jax Recreation Center, I
coordinated activities for the seniors and discussed the needs of the community with several local
residents. In 2013, I created and distributed a resource manual detailing the programs and
activities available in the south Warren area to address the lack of residents knowledge of
assistance in the area. From 2008-2012, I was an election worker in several precincts in the
48089 and 48091 areas.
I currently manage the farmers market in the south and north area of the city. The
farmers market at Owen Jax Recreation Center is much smaller than the northern one and is only
opened for three months. There are barely five vendors a week and more than half of the visitors
purchased their produce or other food with government assistance programs, like SNAP. The
farmers market open in 2013 because a USDA grant was given to the city to provide a market
which offered fresh food to the low income population who do not have the transportation to go
to the farmers market at the north end. Due to its low overall attendance, 2015 will likely be its
final year. The grant funds have been depleted, but 2015 is a mayoral election year. Big changes
never happen in any city department which have a potential of being viewed negatively during
an election year. While managing the citys farmers markets, I have had the opportunity to gain
knowledge from other city employees in all departments, including the mayors office. As a
result of those discussion and actions by city employees, I conclude the staff goes to great effort
to eliminate to known divide. However, the northern residents refusal to attend activities located
in the south area and the south area residents inability to afford recreational activities affect how

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

18

much time an employee can put into activities in south Warren. Personally managing the farmers
market in the south area, I witnessed this issue. The northern libraries are more utilized; so
therefore, more money is distributed to them.
As a previous resident in the south area and current city employee, I have passionate
discussions with others about the need to improve services in the south Warren area. As the
residents surrounding the first park I worked at in the city ensured it stayed clean and safe for
their families, I believe that if the city makes an effort to educate the residents about joining
together to improve the educational opportunities, report crime, and bring awareness to the
availability of assistance services, the city could improve. However, the south Warren residents
do not display the power they could possess because they can visibly see the differences in
family activities available in the north and south area. If the south Warren residents continue to
segregate themselves, the area will only become worse.
Interview and Survey Methodology
Being a recent resident of Warren and a current employee, I still have many connections
with the residents. The first person I interviewed as a key informant was the pastor of Woodside
Bible Church in Warren, located on Hoover just north of 11 Mile Road. As a Woodside Bible
Church member, I know there are many people who attend Woodside and live in the south
Warren area. The church has also conducted many outreach programs in the area from home
construction or cleanup to the current mentor program offered in the Van Dyke Public High
School. In respond to the questions shown on Appendix C for key informants, the pastor shared
that Warren has many positive aspects and opportunities. All of those opportunities are discussed
in the community description section. I requested that he focused his answered on the obstacles
that south Warren residents face. He did recognized that the north area of the city has many

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

19

more services available to them. As a church known for helping the community, the church
receives many phone calls or visits from people in need. The pastor shared he was surprised that
the majority of the request the church receives for help with home repairs or basic home cleaning
up, like lawn maintenance or snow removal are from residents who live in the north area. We
discussed that maybe the south Warren residents do not know they can request assistance from
the church or that an increasing amount of the population is renting homes, so they do not need
home repairs.
The next person I interviewed was the supervisor at Owen Jax Recreation Center. She
has lived in the north area of the city for more than thirty years and has worked at Owen Jax
Recreation Center for fifteen years. Her answers about the positive aspects of Warren and the
opportunities available to the residents focused on the various programs offered through the
parks and recreation department. She is pleased with the improvements made to the recreation
center, although she did not agree with the construction of the toddler park since there are
already so many parks in the area. She wanted something that was enclosed like an indoor pool,
so it could be utilized year around. Working in the area five days a week, she has encountered
many of the needs in the community. The residents do not know where to go for help. They want
programs available for their children in the summer, like the kids park program. Children are
seen running around the neighborhood without supervision because their parent(s) are working
or lack quality parenting skills. She has been unable to find people willing to work for the teen
center program for minimum wage who care about the youth in the area, therefore, the students
participation is declining.
The final key informant, was a staff person at Lincoln High School in the Van Dyke
Public School system. She also lives in the north area and has worked in the school system for

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

20

seven years. Her focus on the positive aspects and opportunities in Warren were through an
educational perspective. She shared that the students benefit from a newer facility and the
available use of the latest technology; however, their socioeconomic status affects their ability to
learn. Van Dyke Public School now offers a free breakfast and lunch program to all of its
students, so a child does not have to wait until a parent or guardian completes the documents.
With the increase of area crime and school shootings, students cannot walk through an entrance
or exit without the knowledge of school personnel. Many of the school staff work diligently to
educate the children, but their problems from home like physical abuse or neglect, utility shut
off, and/or little to no food available affect their learning.

Some students already exhibit

addictions to alcohol and illegal substances.

After reading my notes from the key informant interviews, I noticed that the key
informants will work or serve in the south area, but live in the north area of the city. As I thought
about all of the connections in the city, I could not think of one person who works or serves in
south of 10 Mile Road in Warren and also lives there. As I continue to work in the city, I will
attempt to find a person who lives and works or serves in the south area.
The survey utilized, Appendix D, was created collaboratively by myself and five of my
classmates who were also writing community assessments about Warren. When distributing the
survey, I provided the participant with a copy of a consent form, Appendix B. I distributed
surveys to people at Woodside Bible Church, my family members living in the south Warren
area, and the recreation centers. While inputting the survey results into the table, Appendix E, I
realized the survey did not include an option of some high school. I knew my nephew had not
graduated high school and that survey question was left blank. The spacing between African and
American on the survey caused confusion. Some people thought it was separate choice and

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

21

circled American enough though they were Caucasian. The survey results basically confirmed
the census data. If I were to do this again, I would allot more time to the assessment to create
and distribute a survey to the youth in the area.
Community Problem
Both of the school districts in the south Warren do not meet state standards in educational
aptitude. An average of 46% of the third grade students were proficient in reading by the end of
the school year (Michigan Department of Education, 2015). Some students are placed into the
next grade without official passing grades. . The results of the Michigan Merit Exam revealed
less than 5% of 11th and 12th grade students were proficient in all subjects in Van Dyke and
Fitzgerald School Districts (Michigan Department of Education, 2015). In addition to not being
proficient, behavior problems increased when a child has difficulty understanding the material
presented by the teachers because he/she was placed, not passed, into the next grade (Engle &
Black, 2008). Lack of knowledge affect acceptance and success into college.
Community Assets and Barriers
The school systems makes great effort to improve the education of their students.
However, poor budgeting and lack of funding can affect how many resources can be provided to
the students. In the Van Dyke School District, one teacher is expected to adequately teach 29
students; the ratio of students to teachers are 25 to 1 in the Fitzgerald School District (Michigan
Department of Education, 2015). Even though the community has a large population of
residents living in poverty, the actual school structures are an asset. Lincoln High School in Van
Dyke Public School was recently completely remodeled and a technology training center was
built to teach students job trades. Westview Elementary in Fitzgerald Public School District was

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

22

completely rebuilt with state of the art learning technology. The other schools in the districts are
all currently well maintained.
As shown in Appendix F, south Warren has an extensive list of basic resources in the
community. Although, the community clearly lacks events to bring the residents together to
celebrate and learn more about each other. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, among many other
churches, have created many programs for the residents. In addition to all the program
previously mentioned, the church offers a preschool program to assist children in early education
and parents with adequate skills called Leaps and Bounds. The two libraries in south Warren
offer childrens programs, although they often have poor attendance. The federal government has
awarded several grants to potentially improve this area of Warren. If a person can afford to pay
the transportation fee, the SMART bus system is offered throughout the area.
Population Affected by Problem
As stated in Appendix G, many families in the area are living in poverty. There are 70.1%
of the students attending Van Dyke Public School District and 84% of the students enrolled at
Fitzgerald Public Schools who are economically disadvantaged (Michigan Department of
Education, 2015). All races and both genders of students are being affected by the issues of their
families low income status. Living in poverty can have a ripple effect. The parent(s) must focus
on basic necessities, like food and shelter, to provide for their family. While trying to earn an
income, parents do not take the time to make sure their children are understanding the
fundamental educational building blocks, like math and reading. People from impoverished
families are more likely to be truant from school which results in lower cognitive ability and
academic performance (Engle & Black, 2008). If students are taught to read proficiently, they

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

23

can attained a greater amount of knowledge on their own. The increased knowledge could help
the student find a way to stop cycle of poverty.
Options for Change
There are numerous ways to increase reading proficiency in students as shown in
Appendix H. The school could hire additional teachers. The class sizes would be smaller and the
children may have a greater opportunity for individualized learning. It would require the school
system to increase their budget to pay for the additional staff. If a child moved into the area
below grade level, they may still not catch up. The second option is to create a program to teach
parents ways to increase their children learning ability. It could include ways to help their child
with homework, the importance of reading to their child from birth, understand to value of a
quality education, and the ways to create career goals. The cost for materials and staff for a
program for parents could be expensive. Although a business like GM may be willing to donate
the funds. However, many of the families are impoverished and may not take the time to go to
the program because they have to work. The third option is to create a reading literacy program.
The program could be offered after school in the local recreation centers. Both school districts
have a recreation center within walking distance of the schools. The recreation centers are
already open and staff would be scheduled to be in the building. Knowing the parks and
recreation director often approves free rental of building for groups who will commit to
volunteer services, the coordinator of the program could request to use the building at no charge
in exchange for keeping a local park clean. The majority of the people participating in the
program would only need to volunteer to commit to two hours a week to help a child with
reading. Funding would need to be procured for a coordinator to manage the program and the
reproducible reading material.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

24
Solution Proposal

A reading literacy program would serve the many students in the community. As
explained in Appendix J, the reading literacy program could provide the students with additional
reading help to assist them in many educational areas. Through conversations with my key
informants and survey participants and all the researched I have conducted about the area, it was
confirmed that our community could benefit from creating an effective way to offer additional
reading assistance. The program would start in September and end in May of the following year.
It will be offered twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The time frame will be from 4:305:30 and 5:30-6:30. Student testing to determine reading and skill level would begin in July.
The reading literacy program would be led by a coordinator. The coordinator would seek
an assistant for each of the facilities to help with organizing the materials. Volunteers from 6th
grade to adults who are interested in spending one hour a week with a young person who is
struggling with reading would also be sought. The program coordinator would provide training
to the tutors, testing to all of the youth, collect the monthly fee from students parent, observe the
matches to make sure it is working for both the tutor and the student, be available to listen to
relationship complications between tutor and student, create a database of student and tutor,
schedule tutors, and manage all group events.
An assistant and tutor will also undergo a background check to eliminate people who
would be a potential harm to the children. In addition, they would receive training on the
difficulties the young person is likely to be experiencing and ways to interact effectively with the
student they are matched with. The tutor would also receive training about the different elements
of the reading program.
Any school age student will be welcome to join the program. A monthly fee of
$25 would be imposed on the students parent. If the fee will cause a burden on the family a

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

25

scholarship will be sought. However, paying a fee is important to show commit to a program. If
a parent is financially vested, they will be more likely to ensure their child attends all the
sessions to improve their reading. To locate students who are having difficulty reading, the
coordinator program director will contact local schools and community centers to inform their
staff of the tutoring program.
When a student enrolls in the program, he/she will be given a reading test and a skills
test. The reading test will determine reading level. The skills test includes areas of phonetic
comprehension, vocabulary, and root words to determine instructional level. Students and the
tutors are not informed of the reading level results to prevent bias behavior.
An hour of tutoring will consist of the entire group of tutors and students joining together
for announcements. Tutors will be provided with a folder of all the necessary materials for their
student. The student and tutor pairs will separate into their own groups and begin the lesson.
Approximately 20 minutes will be spent assisting the student with reading and writing a response
to their reading. Ten to fifteen minutes will be spend on vocabulary building through exercises
like flashcards, a list of the 600 most common words, prefixes and suffixes. The last 20-25
minutes will be spent playing a reading game or activity.
Table 1Budget Item
Cost
Reading Literacy Program
$50,000
Program Director
$50,000
Mentor Training and Background Checks
$5,000
Marketing Materials/Office Supplies
$4,000
Total
$109,000
To fund this program, the coordinator could seek out federal and state grants. Also large
corporations, like banks and automotive companies may want to donate money to improve the
community. Fees collected from students parents will help offset some of the costs. By viewing
similar reading programs and estimating other costs, the approximate budget is shown in Table 1.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

26

The reading literacy program is a one-time fee, so the yearly operating cost after the first year
would be $59,000. The goal is to have 50 tutor/student matches during the first year of the
program.
Evaluation
To evaluate whether the program is effective, the coordinator will conduct testing of all
the students in reading and skill levels in May of each year. If the outcomes are met as shown in
Appendix I, the program could be deemed successful. If the students reading and skills level
increase from their incoming test, we can determine how much the program improved their
scores. The students will also be administered the various aptitude tests required by the school
districts. If the test scores increase then it could be concluded that the reading program was a
success. When reading comprehension increases, grades could increase in other subjects (Bayat,
ekerciolu, & Bakr, 2014). The student tutors level of reading may even increase as a result of
helping a younger student with reading literacy skills.
A reading literacy program could also improve the lives of the students and their families
in our community. Students could frequent the local libraries more often and possibly encourage
to city to offer more service in their area. Students could become more prepared for college and
attain higher educational goals. Once those goals are reached, the student could break the cycle
of poverty by earning a living wage. However, an unintended consequence could be the student
could attain the higher education, maintain a better paying job, and leave the south Warren area
to live in a location with people similar to his/her status. Then the south Warren community
would continue on the path of disparity it currently experiences.
In conclusion, the south area of Warren is an average community with the potential to
become a diverse, quality place to live. As the population continues to diversify, the people will
hopefully begin to learn more about their neighbors cultural. The school structures are up to

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

27

date and can be an excellent resource for the children to excel. However, the school systems
must find ways to reduce the students socioeconomic issues, which hinder their educational
goals. Although city officials may not know what it is like to live in the southern section of the
city, they are aware of its difficulties. They often seek government assistance and private
corporations help in making Warren a safe and clean city, as the sign posted throughout the city
protest.

References
Bayat, N., ekerciolu, G., & Bakr, S. (2014). The Relationship Between Reading
Comprehension and Success in Science. Education and Science, 457-466.
City of Warren. (2015, March 27). Census. Retrieved from City of Warren:
http://www.cityofwarren.org/index.php/warren-census-2

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

28

Engle, P., & Black, M. (2008). The Effects of Poverty on Child Development and Educational
Outcomes. Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, 243-256.
Michigan Department of Education. (2015, March 27). Dashboard & Accountability Scorecard.
Retrieved from Mi School Data:
https://www.mischooldata.org/DistrictSchoolProfiles/ReportCard/EducationDashboard.as
px
Neil, G. L. (1971). History of Warren Michigan 1837-1970. Warren.
Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2012). Social Work Macro
Practice (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Onboard Informatics. (2015, March 28). Warren, Michigan. Retrieved from City-Data.com:
http://www.city-data.com/city/Warren-Michigan.html
The Warren Historical and Genealogical Society. (2011). Pathways to Freeways- A History of
Warren, Michigan. Warren: The Warren Historical and Genealogical Society.
US Department of Commerce. (2015, March 26). State and County Quickfacts. Retrieved from
United States Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/26/2684000.html

Appendices
Appendix A. Community Report Card
Appendix B. Consent form
Appendix C. Key informant questions you used
Appendix D. Survey questionnaire

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
Appendix E. Survey Results Chart
Appendix F. Asset Map
Appendix G. Worksheet for Community Assessment
Appendix H. Approaches to Change Worksheet
Appendix I. Logic Model
Appendix J. Action Road Map

29