▁ ▁With ▁its ▁shot gun ▁houses ▁and ▁narrow ▁streets , ▁Sm ok et own ▁was ▁a ▁dens ely ▁populated ▁area ▁with ▁a ▁ ▁population ▁of ▁over ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁by ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁African ▁American ▁property ▁ownership ▁was ▁rare , ▁with ▁most ▁living ▁in ▁properties ▁r ented ▁from ▁whites . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁the ▁area ▁had ▁high ▁crime ▁and ▁un emp loyment ▁rates , ▁causing ▁massive ▁population ▁loss . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁shot gun ▁houses ▁have ▁been ▁raz ed ▁and ▁housing ▁projects ▁built ▁in ▁their ▁place . ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Sm ok et own ▁has ▁been ▁mass ively ▁dep op ulated . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Sm ok et own ▁was ▁ 2 , 1 1 6 , ▁a ▁decrease ▁of ▁over ▁ 3 8 % ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁Rev ital ization ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Louis ville ▁received ▁a ▁$ 2 2 ▁million ▁federal ▁Hope ▁VI ▁award ▁that ▁will ▁allow ▁the ▁demol ition ▁of ▁the ▁d eter ior ating ▁She pp ard ▁Square ▁housing ▁project , ▁replacing ▁it ▁with ▁new , ▁mixed - in come ▁housing . ▁In ▁Mayor ▁Fischer ' s ▁Bud get ▁Address ▁of ▁May ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁he ▁said : ▁You ▁all ▁heard ▁the ▁exc iting ▁news ▁this ▁week ▁about ▁She pp ard ▁Square .