Substandard Housing and Neighborhood Crime: Nonrecursive Effects Over Time

• In Event: Communities and Place: Community Deprivation, Investment, and Change

Abstract

Substandard housing not only presents health and safety risks to occupants but is also indicative of broader patterns of disinvestment. This disinvestment highlights the power dynamics between renters and landlords, underscoring a cycle of marginalization and neglect. Such conditions can exacerbate community stigma, eroding neighborhood attachment and cohesion. This study posits that the prevalence of substandard housing in a community may significantly impact neighborhood crime rates. Conversely, heightened crime levels may prompt landlords to further neglect maintenance, perpetuating the cycle of disinvestment. The present study begins with a cross-sectional examination of the relationship between substandard housing and neighborhood crime, followed by a cross-lagged panel model to explore the nonrecursive dynamics between these factors over time. Utilizing building condition assessments from the Harris County Appraisal District and crime data from the Houston Police Department, this study investigates these relationships within Houston, TX block groups from 2010 to 2018.

Author

• Seth A. Williams, Rice University