Park Hill

From Rap Dictionary

noun

Park Hill

Located in the Clifton neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City, the Park Hill Apartments are a privately-owned but federally-subsidized low-income housing complex on Vanderbilt Avenue and Park Hill Avenue. There is ongoing conflict between Liberian and African-American youths in Park Hill, driven by poverty and unemployment. The neighborhood is along the route of the Staten Island Rapid Transit (SIRT) railway.

The bulk of the Park Hill neighborhood was built in the 1960s in keeping with New York City's plan for urban renewal projects. It consists of 15 acres of 5-story brick apartment buildings. The individual apartments contained within are quite large, with many having 4 or five bedrooms. As ownership has passed into private hands, upkeep on the apartments has dwindled, leaving many of them currently in a shabby state of disrepair.

Famous former residents include Method Man, Raekwon, and U-God.

Poverty

Over the years 2000-2003, average wages in the area declined by 8.7 percent. Due to the lack of health care, the death rate in the Park Hill area is 25% higher than in the remainder of New York City. Park Hill has one of the largest Liberian populations in the United States due to immigration stemming from the Liberian Civil War. There are thought to be 30 former child soldiers living in the Park Hill area. The vast majority of the Liberian immigrants are employed in the medical or service fields. Many of the current residents of Park Hill are struggling with illiteracy which makes finding employment difficult.

Gang Violence

The Clifton and Park Hill neighborhoods have a bad reputation for gangs and gang related violence. For years gangs have posed as an inviting institution to both teenagers and adults that are struggling to make ends meet. There are not enough local resources for the youth of Park Hill to use to keep kids occupied so they are not tempted to fall into the world of gangs and gang related violence. Schools and community centers are working to create after school programs to keep the children off the streets. There have been serious problems with staffing and funding for community projects as well as gaining media interest.