User talk:Katlcruz/sandbox

Area Article: Berkeley, CA
Overall Comments: The content of your additions is very relevant to the articles in question. I really like that you are building out a "Homelessness" section under "Demographics" because it's such a huge part of Berkeley's demographic. Your paragraphs clearly explain some of the underlying reasons/causes for this high rate of homelessness (i.e, your explanation of limited affordable housing) as well as what has been done surrounding this topic (i.e., political activism/People's Park movement). I think for this section you could add some more concrete numbers/stats to further bolster the understanding of Berkeley's homeless population. (e.g., how many affordable housing units vs. low-income households there are). I'm having trouble accessing a couple of your sources. For example, [1] is not hyperlinked but maybe that's because it's a physical book? You are also using a few news articles (KQED, Berkeleyside) which may not pass as scholarly sources. I'm not the expert here, but would suggest double checking with Prof. Talwalker. Otherwise, great content, clear direction, overall solid start - I'm excited to see what more you will add!

Paragraph 1 Copy Edit: In 2015, an estimated 834-1200 people were homeless in Berkeley. In that same year, rent in Alameda County increased by 25% while average household income only grew by 5%. This disparity not only contributes to the growing homeless population in Berkeley, but also presents an increased need for more affordable housing in the greater East Bay. With the political activism of the UC, Berkeley has historically been vocal about the housing crisis that affects students and locals alike. An example of these efforts to create and maintain space for those who cannot fight for themselves lies in the movement to preserve People's Park as a place for the homeless population to call its own instead of destroying it to make room for more student housing in the area.

Paragraph 2 Copy Edit: Despite the high demand for housing, there is not enough room to build these structures in the Bay Area and especially in Berkeley. Whatever new units are constructed must abide by "rental control" laws, which tend to favor those who can afford and are willing to pay the high rent. This marginalizes those at a lower income level and increases their risk of becoming homeless due to an inability to access affordable housing.

Sector Article: Homelessness in the United States
Overall Comments: You have very strong content that fits into the article, especially to add to an underdeveloped "Homeless Families" section. I can't access source [8] but again, that might be a non-problem. The wording could be more "encyclopedic." I made a few changes in the copy edits below, but they are just suggestions so please let me know if I changed the overall idea of the paragraphs too much. Fixed a couple slight typos/grammar errors. Overall, more detail and specifics with reliable citations would add to your draft, but it is very fitting to the gaps you are closing in your chosen article.

Paragraph 1 Copy Edit: A study on family homelessness in the United States concluded that the three biggest risk factors are ethnicity, lack of resources (specifically funds), and young children/pregnancy. There is also a strong correlation between homeless families and households run and financed by a single female, especially one from a minority group and with at least two children. Single-income families, especially those below the federal poverty line, have a harder time finding housing than other families, especially given the limited affordable housing options. Homeless families do not always take refuge in shelters, but being homeless also does not necessarily mean living on the streets. Homeless women with children are more likely to live with family or friends than those without children, and this group is treated with higher priority by both the government and society. This can be seen through shelters exclusively serving women with children.

Paragraph 2 Copy Edit: There are risks to seeking refuge in shelters, which are heightened and more noticeable for children. Such risks include health problems such as malnutrition from lack of access to food with nutritional content, behavioral problems associated with coping, social insecurity from growing up in an unstable environment, and mental illnesses such as PTSD and trauma. These problems exacerbate the child's risk of underperforming in both academic and personal settings.

Rjxue (talk) 22:14, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

Area
Both paragraphs are nicely written and add good content to this section of the page you want to add to. Most of your sentences are baked by good reliable sources and you include figures that add substance to your addition. The only thing that might be an issue is in your first paragraph, the middle sentences are a little to analytical and opinionated rather then purely presenting factual information. I think a good solution to this would be to 1 either back up the information you point out with cited sources at the end of the sentence or 2 change the info to oure summary or fact rather that a weighted statement.

Sector
The paragraphs you have written here to add to this page are really good. I think your second paragraph especially highlights something that is important and should be touched on in this wiki article. The sources for these paragraphs are also strong. The information you provide is unbiased and a fact based review of good sources. This leads to your contribution being well resourced and identifying important facts and problems in the system while keeping in line with wikipedias addition outlines. Overall you have two very strong paragraphs here that will increase the strength of the wikipedia article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Anna Marshall (talk • contribs) 22:22, 2 November 2017 (UTC)