A small Arkansas town suffering from population decline and economic problems has become so neglected that properties are being offered for sale for as little as $400.
Pine Bluff, a grim metropolis that saw its population drop from 49,000 to 41,250 residents between 2010 and 2020, made headlines this month after being criticized in a Abandoned Atlas YouTube Documentary.
In the film, filmmaker Michael Schwartz said witnessing the city’s decay “shocked” him, saying, “It seems like every time I turn a corner, there’s another abandoned house or building.”
Although there are several homes on the market for just a few hundred dollars, they remain empty because a lack of opportunity and a host of social problems (including a high homicide rate) have driven people away.
Anyone who buys one of the “bargains” will face having to spend many thousands more to make one of the abandoned houses habitable again.
This abandoned house in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, is for sale for just over $400. The city has plenty of similar “bargains,” though it also suffers from a myriad of social problems.
After the documentary racked up millions of views in its first few weeks, Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington answered that his office is introducing a number of initiatives to tackle the problem of abandoned houses, as he admitted that his hometown is plagued by “serious problems”.
Washington said the exposure of Pine Bluff’s problems “serves as a call to action,” but the cause of its decline dates back decades.
After World War II, Pine Bluff was one of the most prosperous regions in the Midwest and Deep South, when its abundance of farmland coincided with the growth of the railroads.
At one point, agriculture in Pine Bluff grew into a $58 million industry, which in turn led to a population boom.
Another rundown house in Pine Bluff for sale that goes for just $555. Anyone moving there may have a hard time finding work and will also face the city’s high homicide rate.
A once-beautiful Pine Bluff home can now be purchased for less than $1,000, though its new owner would have to spend many thousands more to make it habitable.
The city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was once a thriving city, but the decline of its agricultural and manufacturing industries turned it into a ghost town.
Abandoned homes now lie scattered throughout the city as residents flee its failing economy, and Pine Bluff is now officially “America’s fastest crumbling city.”
Schwartz notes that the arrival of two paper mills further increased the population to more than 57,000 in the 1970s – 25,000 more people than live there today.
But its problems began with the mechanization of the agricultural industry, which shattered the economic foundations on which Pine Bluff had been built, and the resulting outsourcing of manufacturing work.
“The economy kept changing, kids kept leaving,” said state Rep. Vivian Flowers, who represents the area. The New York Times in 2021.
“And then their tax base shrinks, and their ability to take care of infrastructure and beautify the city, all of that is affected.”
When the 2020 U.S. Census was announced, Pine Bluff’s 12.5 percent population decline since the previous census in 2010 earned it the unenviable title of America’s fastest-shrinking city.
At Pine Bluff’s peak in the 1970s, there were more than 25,000 more people living there than today.
The problems were triggered by the loss of jobs in agriculture and manufacturing, which in turn led to an increase in crime and drugs. Pictured is a closed cottonseed oil mill in downtown Pine Bluff
The problems that led to its decline have accumulated to Pine Bluff’s current situation, where once-busy streets are now empty and large, rickety homes are left to rot.
Pine Bluff also has a reputation as a crime hotbed, with one of the highest homicide rates in the country at 56.5 murders per 100,000 people, nearly 10 times higher than the national average of 6.5.
In 2015, the small town made headlines after 18 people were killed, placing Pine Bluff behind only Detroit in the ranking of the most dangerous metropolitan areas in the United States.
“To have 18 homicides is a shocking number for a city of this size,” said Police Chief Jeff Hubank. The Independent At the moment.
“The reality is that the little white lady with the kitten on her lap is perfectly safe in this city. But if you’re selling drugs on the East Side, you’re thinking of paying with your life.”
After Schwartz’s documentary revealed the dire state of the area, Mayor Washington acknowledged the situation but insisted that Pine Bluff can recover.
“While the documentary draws attention to a serious issue, it also serves as a call to action for our community to come together to confront these challenges,” she said in a statement.
‘We are dedicated to revitalizing our neighborhoods and ensuring that Pine Bluff remains a safe and prosperous place to live.’
Pine Bluff also has a reputation as a hotbed of crime, with one of the highest homicide rates in the country at 56.5 murders per 100,000 people, well above the national average of 6.5.
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington admitted the city has “serious problems” and described the new focus on the area’s issues as a “call to action.”
To address the large number of abandoned properties scattered throughout the city, Washington announced a number of initiatives, including the Pine Bluff Green Sweep program to “educate the community on code standards to prevent future violations and highlight any blight.”
The city has also allocated funds to demolish unsafe properties, while finding “innovative solutions” for others that will remain standing.
“The documentary has sparked a necessary conversation about the state of housing in Pine Bluff. We encourage residents, business owners and community leaders to participate in this dialogue and contribute ideas that can lead to sustainable solutions,” Washington said.
‘Pine Bluff is a city rich in history and culture, located in the heart of Arkansas. With a commitment to economic growth and community development, Pine Bluff is working to create a vibrant future for all of its residents.’