Poverty, Race, and the Location of Businesses: Reassessing the Links

• In Event: 30420 - Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 15: Race, Environment, Ecologies

Abstract

Whereas some scholars posit that concentrated poverty diminishes a community’s ability to sustain businesses, others argue racial residential segregation—and not poverty—is the major driving force behind commercial disinvestment. Using longitudinal observations of zip codes from the United States (U.S.) census of 2000 and the 2007-2011 American Community Surveys, and the 2000 and 2011 Zip Code Business Patterns dataset, we estimate the effects of poverty and racial composition on commercial activity. Following previous research, we examine organizational resources that offer services or goods basic to daily living (grocery stores, pharmacies, daycares, convenience stores, hardware stores, banks, credit unions, restaurants, fast food establishments, laundry mats, hair salons, barbershops and nail salons). Additionally, we examine the total number of businesses.

Authors

• Janeria Alexis Easley, Emory University

• Angel Harris, Duke University