I recently met with members of Rosenwald for All, a group of residents concerned that the local infrastructure is inadequate to support the redevelopment of the Rosenwald Apartments, 47th and Michigan, for its proposed use as senior and low-income housing.
The concept of food deserts in major cities has been questioned recently by academics, but food deserts are a perceived reality to residents of many urban neighborhoods, including the 47th and Michigan area.
Several residents of a nearby condo association, on the theory that it’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness, have built raised planters in their parking lot and planted an oasis of fresh herbs and vegetables in their food desert.
Before setting out for a walk around the Rosenwald Apartments, we stopped at a condo owned by Kevin, a member of Rosenwald for All, to sample the fruits of his condo association’s garden and chat about the local food desert.