How Race/Ethnicity and Poverty Affect One’s Access to Sustainable/Quality Housing in Rural America

• In Event: 1284 - Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 12. Race/Ethnicity: Housing and Cities

Abstract

The recent influx of minority groups, especially Hispanics, to rural areas have caught attention from scholars, and their residential patterns and economic wellbeing have been studied. However, very few studies have been undertaken to examine their housing and neighborhood quality. Living in quality housing and healthy neighborhoods is essential for one’s overall wellbeing. Research has documented that sub-quality residential units have long term negative impacts on the dwellers’ safety, health, and access to other socioeconomic opportunities. Two main factors are suggested by previous literature that could greatly hamper one’s chance of living in quality houses in American society. One is income/poverty and the other one is minority status. In this study, the author employs the 2013 American Housing Survey to conduct multivariate analysis to assess one’s odds of living in quality house. The results suggest that race and ethnicity is a salient predictor of housing quality outcomes. The effect of poverty, however, can be mitigated by personal and structural level factors. Indeed, location, education and marital status all exert significant impacts on people’s housing quality. This research is important to housing policy makers and community planners who could use the information to design policies to promote healthy rural community development.

Author

• Ying Yang, Shippensburg University