Racial Segregation and Metropolitan Housing Policy

• In Event: 1451 - Community and Urban Sociology Section Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 14. Racial Segregation

Abstract

In this paper I explain how findings from observing the home-buying process for middle income African Americans suggest potential policy interventions. I argue that pro-integrative features could be added to existing programs that subsidize housing for renters and homeowners. Successful pro-integrative programs such as those in Oak Park, Illinois and Shaker Heights, Ohio demonstrate that interventions can change prevailing racial dynamics and an outcome of resegregation is not inevitable. These programs, which are intended to ameliorate the effects of the foreclosure crisis and offer more affordable housing, could also have avoiding further resegregation as a goal, since these goals are not necessarily at odds with each other.

Author

• Nora E. Taplin-Kaguru, Earlham College