Watch over 2,400 documentaries with Curiosity Stream for free for a month by signing up at http://curiositystream.com/citybeautiful
and using the code, "citybeautiful" at checkout.

Compton is synonymous with gangsta rap and gangs, but why did this small bedroom community come to have such a reputation? It turns out municipal tax policy played a role.

This video ad free on Nebula: https://nebula.app/videos/citybeautiful-how-propert-taxes-doomed-compton

Bonus video: https://nebula.app/videos/citybeautiful-how-to-fix-inner-ring-suburbs

I’m on Patreon! Consider supporting this channel: https://www.patreon.com/citybeautiful

This video is largely based on the great book “Death of a Suburban Dream: Race and Schools in Compton, California” by Emily E. Straus. Consider purchasing! https://www.amazon.com/Death-Suburban-Dream-California-Politics/dp/0812245989

Other resources:

https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2012/tax/property-tax-primer-112912.aspx

https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/23222/Saunders-Compton_California-Research_Paper.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/13/magazine/the-roller-rink-origins-of-nwa.html

Produced by Dave Amos and the fine folks at Standard Studios.
Select images and video from Getty Images.
Black Lives Matter.