One City, Two Histories - Exploring Poverty in San Antonio

• In Event: 189 - Regular Session. Poverty

Abstract

This paper examines persistent poverty in the city of San Antonio, Texas. The current state of impoverished neighborhoods in San Antonio is explained through a historical lens which sees past residential segregation as a key to contemporary conditions. This is especially true for the city’s Westside which has received much legal and political attention over the years, yet still remains in high poverty. Using multilevel models for change, time-varying predictors are examined to see the strongest determinants for increases in poverty rates at the neighborhood level. The results show that high proportions of non-completers and high proportions of those on public assistance are the strongest predictors of neighborhood poverty in San Antonio. Given these results, public policy recommendations are made to include Westside neighborhoods in the city’s revitalization plans and to make educational resources more equitable. Both palatable and more radical policy recommendations are made.

Author

• Matthew James Martinez, University of Texas-San Antonio