# Gated Communities - What do you think about it?



## philvia (Jun 22, 2006)

-Corey- said:


> not really, I live in a new gated community here in of America's safest city, San Diego,CA. Most new communities in East Lake, San Diego, are close communities, although everyone can go in, because *there's no gate. But still, they're called gated communities.*


this made me giggle.


i think they're cheesy.


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

Bel Air, in Los Angeles is a faux-gated community. So I understand where Corey is coming from.


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## zaphod (Dec 8, 2005)

I guess everyone has a choice in how they live, but I don't care for them. 

Maybe they are necessary in some parts of the world but not in the US.


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## whistler85 (Apr 4, 2009)

Suburbanist said:


> In countries with HIGH violence rates, gated communities can insulate you from most of such violence while you are at home. Then, you don't have to build a fortress-like house - the gate is a couple hundred meters away or more. It allow people to have a more pleasant housing experience IMO.
> 
> They also curtails to near-zero loitering and the presence of beggars and street vendors on your house. They are kept beyond the gates.
> 
> *It is not a reactionary proposal, I'd say. They are residential-communities only*.


You're forgetting to mention the commercial infra-structure that usually goes along the residential suburban gated-communities: shopping centers, edge-cities' commercial centers and even parks tend to be enclosed in the areas supporting the residential communities. 

It is interesting to note that back in the early 1990's the Los Angeles school of urban planning came up with terminologies such as 'privatopia', ecology of fear, etc. in order to describe the increasing trend of gated developments in greater L.A. 

Nowadays, building those 'condominiums' in Brazil and South America has become a great deal for developers. I should also add that the brand Alphaville, which stems from the largest enclosed residential-commercial-industrial compound in Brazil, has been purchased by Gafisa, the largest property developer in South America.


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## preppy (Mar 20, 2010)

Opening does not necessarily mean it really is opened - and vice versa. 

And it can mean anything...


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## yin_yang (May 29, 2006)

intensivecarebear said:


> In developed countries there is certainly no need. The vast majority of gated communities that I've seen are located in already safe suburban communities, so it only gives a false sense of security and fuels elitist and fearful attitudes towards outsiders...
> More gated communities does not equal safer societies


Agreed.

Not to mention it also isolates many people and therefore leads to greater harm of our environment since they buy more stuff to feel better about their miserable selves.


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## preppy (Mar 20, 2010)

^^ I do not believe in Ying and Yang - but plain nothing.


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## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

yin_yang said:


> A
> Not to mention it also isolates many people and therefore leads to greater harm of our environment since they buy more stuff to feel better about their miserable selves.


This association (low density = gated community => miserable lives => higher consumption => environmental harm) is very questionable at least. It is a very long shot to assume this phenomena necessarily occurs concurrently and only in association with one another.

People with "miserable selves" can live in Manhattan, cottage dwellers can do environmental harm and so on.

I feel somehow (not that much) insulted when someone in the architecture/planning are "profiles" me in SSC or elsewhere just because, for instance, I love suburbs and I truly believe that a car-centered life is paramount to freedom in Western societies. I got to hear even some insults, like I were "putting the planet in the brink of destruction" or "fueling wars" or "promoting bigotry and hate". Them I told people I'm against the death penalty, (used to) drive an ethanol-fueled car, and weren't prone to shopping sprees at all and such "profilers" used to shrug off.

It is a light form of a racial-like prejudice: judging people's lives, dignity and even "character" only by means of the housing arrangement in which they live.

We are far more complex as human subjects than that.


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Suburbanist said:


> In countries with HIGH violence rates, gated communities can insulate you from most of such violence while you are at home. Then, you don't have to build a fortress-like house - the gate is a couple hundred meters away or more. It allow people to have a more pleasant housing experience IMO.
> 
> They also curtails to near-zero loitering and the presence of beggars and street vendors on your house. They are kept beyond the gates.
> 
> It is not a reactionary proposal, I'd say. They are residential-communities only.


It was not me who brought up the comparison with past times but it actually fits. "reactionary" just describes that in a single word.

I think we i can safely say that that the argument of much higher security and much less crime in gated communities is at least controversial. In short it combines all the problematic aspects of suburban totally car dependent life style with increasing segregation of cities.


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Slartibartfas said:


> Sorry but that makes no sense to me. "Non gated" gated communities?
> 
> Apart from it, gated communities seem only suitable for totally car based neighborhoods. Good luck in the next decades to come.


 It is a gated community, it has its own entrance etc, but most of the new developments in San Diego (especially in East Lake) are called gated communities with or without gate, in which most of them dont have one.


Dimethyltryptamine said:


> Bel Air, in Los Angeles is a faux-gated community. So I understand where Corey is coming from.


 
Yeap, you're right, and they're not necesary poor, or at least not in San Diego County, in which most of them are located in the richest part of the county, like Santa Fe, East Lake or Otay Ranch and it's pretty safe.


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## dhuwman (Oct 6, 2005)

I live in a gated cul-de-sac type of alley and basically houses w/o gate are full of theft and if better people coming in at night to sell fake stuff. So we want some kind of extra protection


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## fly2345 (Mar 24, 2010)

All have their own life style and preserve their world secluded! 


BTW - not to live in a cold place - the hairs growing straight and often going bald. . .

Not too hot but warm - that is nice.


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

-Corey- said:


> It is a gated community, it has its own entrance etc, but most of the new developments in San Diego (especially in East Lake) are called gated communities with or without gate, in which most of them dont have one.


So what you are saying is that you live in a real gated community but a lot of new developements are called gated communities even if they aren't?


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Well yes and no, there are "real gated communities" in San Diego (most of them were built in the 80s and early 90s), but I live in those so called "gated communities" with no gate, just a private entrance, with retail stores and restaurants along the the main street where everyone can go in. And yes, the new communities are being built with that style, even of they're aren't, the difference is that they're like new neighborhoods built by private companies like Palos Verdes, East Lake (San Diego). Although, to tell u the thruth, most of those so called "gated communities" are located within the city limits of San Diego, Chula Vista, National City etc, and the new developments are being built outside the city limits.


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## kicksilver (Oct 27, 2009)

Guys, this is pretty common in Rio de Janeiro, mostly in Barra da Tijuca, where the contrustion boom is at. With our inefficient public security policy and the skyhigh crime rates, it makes it really convenient to live inside those.


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## trea (Mar 30, 2010)

Normally all are the Gated Communities - the human wanted!

No more machines and androids!


This is where I believe that the USA is far too big and boring.


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## joburg (Aug 28, 2003)

Gated communities are very popular in Johannesburg, ostensibly because of our quite high crime rate which has caused many communities to insulate themselves in.

I am not a fan of them at all. I think they have destroyed a great deal of Johannesburg's social fabric, have increased the gap between rich and poor, and has caused antagonism between the elites and the 'riff raff' to grow considerably. I think that in an unequal society, it's simply unacceptable to want to keep the riff raff out of your community. People should learn to live in and amongst one another, otherwise your social capital as a city is completely depleted, and your city becomes like a dry piece of lumpy steak without much soul or life.

The other problem with gated communities is that indeed many of them are 'themed', allowing people to live in a constructed identity that allows them an escape to somewhere other than the reality in which they live. That means people are blinded to what is around them, making us ignorant and more selfish as communities. It's all about ME ME ME, and not about the community.

Integration is admittedly a very difficult task to do because people naturally like to keep to their own and feel very strange being put out of their comfort zone. But that doesn't mean we should just accept gated communities. We should find innovative ways to integrate communities. Only that way will people have a greater understanding of different cultures (because communities are more often than not divided along lines of race and/or culture), making for a better world.

In any case, what we have found in Johannesburg is that gated communities do not actually make a community safer. All they do is create an imagined safe space - crime still affects the community, but because it 'looks' safer (i.e. no 'riff raff'), it feels safer and accordingly people are not as paranoid as they would be in other area. People live on the threat of fear, and a gated community allows that perceived threat to 'go away' for a little while...


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## jefferson2 (May 31, 2008)

joburg said:


> I think that in an unequal society, it's simply unacceptable to want to keep the riff raff out of your community. People should learn to live in and amongst one another, otherwise your social capital as a city is completely depleted, and your city becomes like a dry piece of lumpy steak without much soul or life


If I was somewhere with a security problem... and I had alot of money, I am pretty sure I would think gated communities would be good idea.... or at the least some kind of fencing or guards. In a sense, secured apartment blocks are a sort of gated community, which seems like a good solution in high crime places.

Aside from security concerns, I don't personally mind having 'riff raff' around, but I respect if others want to keep outsiders from where they live. People can share public spaces like malls, parks, commercial streets.. etc


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## castermaild55 (Sep 8, 2005)

Delete


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## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

joburg said:


> I am not a fan of them at all. I think they have destroyed a great deal of Johannesburg's social fabric, have increased the gap between rich and poor, and has caused antagonism between the elites and the 'riff raff' to grow considerably. I think that in an unequal society, it's simply unacceptable to want to keep the riff raff out of your community. People should learn to live in and amongst one another, otherwise your social capital as a city is completely depleted, and your city becomes like a dry piece of lumpy steak without much soul or life.


Your position is common to be found elsewhere in developing countries. With due respect, I completely disregard it as an example of over-pretentious and overreaching urbanism dogmas.

If a place has a very high crime rate and great social inequality, the rich have two only feasible options, because I don't consider putting yourself in a position like "rob me, kidnap me, I'm rich" is feasible: downplay your lifestyle, hidden any external sign of prosperity (live in a quasi-slum house, don't buy a car, don't wear expensive clothing, buy the same food everyone else is buying), or emigrate (at local, regional, national or international level).

It is unconceivable that people should expose themselves to increased violence risk because they are well-off and live in a dangerous country/city/region. One must bear in mind that in some countries, contrary to industrialized developed nations, being richer actually increases your violence vulnerability, instead of decreasing it.

In US, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Italy it is the case that if you have more money, you are likely to be less exposed to violence (which is already low across the board) because you won't deal on a daily basis with the same bad elements of society struggling families/illegal immigrants have to.

On the other hand, in places like South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria etc., being rich would dramatically increase the risk of one being kidnapped for ransom, having their house burglarized, being robbed at gunpoint while walking in your driveway etc. There is just so much poverty and social problems around to make possible a living without some degree of isolation (self-impoverishment being the other option). 

As someone who believe that there is no problem in one getting as rich as one can by lawful methods, and benefiting from one's wealthy, I understand that gated communities are a viable and even desirable solutions for those who, while unable to not need armored private cars or bodyguards, still want to have a breathing space in the immediate vicinity of their houses.



> The other problem with gated communities is that indeed many of them are 'themed', allowing people to live in a constructed identity that allows them an escape to somewhere other than the reality in which they live. That means people are blinded to what is around them, making us ignorant and more selfish as communities. It's all about ME ME ME, and not about the community.


No one is obliged to care about one's community at the gunpoint. Some situations are desperate enough that, unless you want to go to politics, is better to insulate yourself or you'll die from stress and demise at age 40.

This argument resembles the totalitarian-like fuss about forbidding the existence of private schools because poor and middle-class families would benefit of the political clout the elite would use to push for better public education if their offspring were not allowed to attend a private school system (it's not the case in most of Western Europe btw).


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## Aireos (Aug 21, 2007)

Suburbanist said:


> On the other hand, in places like South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria etc., being rich would dramatically increase the risk of one being kidnapped for ransom, having their house burglarized, being robbed at gunpoint while walking in your driveway etc. There is just so much poverty and social problems around to make possible a living without some degree of isolation (self-impoverishment being the other option).
> 
> As someone who believe that there is no problem in one getting as rich as one can by lawful methods, and benefiting from one's wealthy, I understand that gated communities are a viable and even desirable solutions for those who, while unable to not need armored private cars or bodyguards, still want to have a breathing space in the immediate vicinity of their houses.


And have you thought that in some of these countries the security conditions han been improved in a good way?

I will discuss the case of Colombia, when taking in a general way, the violence has dropped a 55% aprox (the kidnnapings has dropped a 90% since 2002), and in cities like Bogotá, the insecurity has dropped in a 70-80%. Here although the gated communities have existed since the 1980s and now also are built, about half or more of the actual residential projects aren't "gated communities". Also the "gated communities" are destinated mainly to middle-class income people and low class income people.

Furthermore, the concept of gated community here is very different to that seen in other countries. Usually, they are building blocks with an enclosure, in most of the cases do not negate the street level, integrating the street level with commercial space and new public spaces.

In the case of houses, gated communities usually do not exceed 60 units, and also have integration with the street level. The only ones that are similar to the concept which is discussed in this thread are located on the outskirts of the cities and suburbs, but in reality they aren't very popular and are used more holiday seasons or when you want to be in a rural ambient.

Moreover, the most exclusive residential areas are not closed, are integrated with the city like any other neighborhood and his street level is like any other sector of the city. Nowadays being rich does not imply security problems, what does mean to have a security risk you need to be a very influential person.

An example of a typical rich/wealthier neighborhood in Bogotá:










This one is an middle-upper class neighborhood in downtown:
































































(I took that pics at a sunday, for that reason the streets are alone )

Examples of gated communities. As you can see, each building has an access and is closed, but in compensation for that, the developers by law, depending of the size of the gated community are obligated to build parks and new public space to the city (in this case, a middle class, middle-upper district near to dowtown):


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## socrates#1fan (Jul 1, 2008)

I can't say anything for other nations but in America many people (wealthier people) go to gated communities either through the desire for statues, or fear of threats in the surrounding area. Many people live in gated complexes because they live in central urban areas that suffer from crime.
If I lived in a very crime filled city and had the means, I would move to a gated community or complex, for the same reasons my ancestors did.


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## kalibob32 (Jan 28, 2010)

i respect the decisions of those wishing to live in gated 'communities' in the united states 
i hate the reasons they exist

a 'community' doesnt even need to be physically gated to exclude people 

i just find them scary through & through


BUT if i lived in latin america, for example, id have a whole other take


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## aspirin (May 3, 2006)

Gated communities have a differrent faces with differrent pros and cons. 

If the communities are only coz of security, then it's in my opinion an unfortunate tragedy that that's necessary. 

If it's for pure prestige - ok whatever - some people need it... i think it's weird. 

If it's just a community which shares some ammenities and of course gates then that not all can use them - very fair - wouldnt do it differrent.


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## home300m (Apr 14, 2010)

So how do you then feel about the Gated Communities?


Why do we all have to be like, bitten by the bees?


They are clueless to the local rules!

Why do they come and appeal something which not attractive at all?


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## mWoods (Dec 11, 2009)

I think it's really just an example of human nature responding to human nature. A gate is really just another arbitrary security measure when you stop to think about it, no different than any other. Security extends from the personal/micro scale all the way to the impersonal/macro scale--everything from pepper spray to door locks to gated communities to city police to a national military.


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## Ian (Nov 26, 2006)

edit... :nuts: ... it's not worth it


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Ironically, many of the gated communities that I've seen exist in pretty safe neighborhoods.

I'm not fussed about them though, if someone wants to live in one, it's their choice.


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

I can understand why people in some places find the idea of gated communities attractive, but if the primary reason for them is fear of crime then people really need to look at the bigger picture and find ways of reducing crime rates. It's sad that people feel they have to lock themselves away from their fellow citizens.

I have no interest in living in a place where these developments are common but if others do then that is fine as long as non-residents are not inconvenienced. For example i would be opposed to a mile-long gated community between a residential district and downtown which forced people without access to take a long detour to get from A to B.


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## desertpunk (Oct 12, 2009)

Tanoan, a gated community in Albuquerque:


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## Camilo_Costa (Oct 27, 2007)

They are necessary in countries like Brazil, IMO.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

If I lived in a city that had rampant crime, then I would definitely live in a gated community. And if anyone from the West told me not because they're "tacky" or "ruin a city", then I'd tell them to get f*cked. If you have a family to protect, then you will do what you have to do.


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## Basincreek (Mar 10, 2008)

Wow, I had no idea there were such places in big cities. Here in California gated communities are exclusively way out in the country/exurbs where there is already zero crime. They serve pretty much as places where like minded bigots can gather and keep out "undesirables" which are defined by race/religion.


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## intensivecarebear (Feb 2, 2006)

^^yeah pretty muchhno:


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## makesome (Apr 27, 2010)

Since when it's all become Bad?

Isn't it rediculous how some strangers just break in and overtake its society and . . . remaining something which is not, that is just laughable.


Like you live in my room like a ghaust. . . all stolen, isn't it normal to just stick them out?


Why turning the communities/countries something entirely different?


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## eofr33 (Apr 28, 2010)

We should stop talking about the education crap since it's a pretext for sucking-up from those fully loaded, we are all grown-up and they are not necessary but only living for fun the rest of life . . . like making some religious believers.

Free India and Soul land.

Nice spam and nice murder.

We are living in the world of masturbation simply live for fun.

Do not disturb but allow so because that is a part of your wanking to vandalise and we free to smack each other.


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## eofr33 (Apr 28, 2010)

Why being peaceful - that's considered to be a spam when I am not peaceful . . .


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## Bartolo (Sep 20, 2004)

Gated communities are completely non existent in Canada. A big reason for that is because of the laws that basically make them impossible. Roads have to be completely open for emergency vehicles.


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## iloveasia (Dec 20, 2007)

They are all over China, most Suburban housing estates are Gated Communities and unlike in the US they ussually are Mid rise or highrise buildings and i guess they are ways of seperating the estates and aren't for a particular class.


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## WayToSuper (Apr 29, 2010)

Since clueless and wanna-bes tend to live there and throwing rubblish, unbearable and sickening. They are blind.


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