Low-Income Homeownership Policy as a Community Development Strategy

Summary

Homeownership for the poor increasingly is on the political agenda in the United States. This is due largely to the assumptions made by policy makers and citizens about the benefits of homeownership. Despite this emphasis in recent administrations, little theoretical literature has been developed that specifies the impact of homeownership on community development. This essay reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature and suggests that homeownership affects communities through the promotion of increased wealth accumulation, improved property upkeep, decreased residential mobility, and increased community participation. This article addresses the special needs of poor communities and households, and the implications for low-income housing policy. Overall it is suggested that community economic development and low-income homeownership be pursued in tandem.     

Comparing housing affordability and quality among disability households: The United States and its regions

Two national data sets (the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the Survey of Income and Program Participation) are analyzed to compare housing afford-ability and quality between U.S. disability households and other households and by region. The researchers conclude that disability households in the United States are at risk of inability to afford housing. In addition to higher housing-income ratios, these households are more likely to be older, in poverty, in poor or fair health, and on public assistance than other U.S. households. They are also more likely to carry severe housing cost burdens, to be in housing poverty, and to be receiving housing assistance. Regional differences among disability households and their housing seem to echo geographic economic and population trends, as well as regional variances in the housing stock. The data, which did not address housing accessibility, are less clear about disability households' risks relative to housing quality. Her research interests include housing for special needs populations, community housing needs assessment, and housing policy. She received her Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. His research interests include professional practice and the housing needs of special needs populations, particularly the homeless. He received his Master's degree from California State University at Chico. He is a Housing Extension Specialist with the Cooperative Extension Service. His research interests include environmental issues, housing at-risk populations, and international housing. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University.     

Social housing estates and sustainable community development in South Korea

The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics and problems of social housing estates in South Korea, and to explore sustainable community development issues. In order to examine the social housing situation, a survey of the three social housing communities in Seoul was conducted. The survey evidence demonstrates that there is a growing stigma against the poor and social exclusion. This kind of social bias is likely to escalate the construction of social housing estates, which the poor concentrates in. Residents recognized that mixing public and private housing would be an issue and problematic. Public housing was thought to have a negative impact on the neighborhood. It is important to examine why these kinds of social problems arise. Applying the concept of social sustainability to low-income communities in urban Korea requires mobilizing residents and their governments to strengthen all forms of community capital.     

保障房市场与商品房市场关系研究

保障房和商品房在本质上是差异化产品,两者在对应的需求层次、房屋的品质、价格、供给和渠道等方面都存在着巨大的差别。自我国房地产市场化以来,商品房就始终处于市场独大的局面,但随着近年来我国政府加大了对楼市的调控、加快了保障房建设的步伐,房地产市场已朝着保障房市场和商品房市场并重的＂双轨制＂迈进。然而,保障房的大规模兴建和投放市场会对商品房市场乃至整个中国楼市产生什么影响,以及保障房供给体系在运行与管理过程中存在什么问题,目前尚不确定。为此,有必要对其深入分析并寻找对策。     

In Search of Housing: Urban Families in Rural Contexts*

Researchers have been following a trend posited by the renowned anthropologist Janet Fitchen, which examines the increasing movement of low‐income people to rural communities drawn not necessarily by labor market forces, but by the characteristics and amenities found in rural towns. This study adds to that literature by focusing on the ways in which public housing availability, changes in housing policy, and rural economic restructuring create opportunities for low‐income families to relocate from urban to rural communities in search of affordable housing. Data collected from an ethnographic sample addressed the following questions: (1) what motivates individuals and families to leave their urban neighborhoods and relocate to rural towns and (2) what challenges do individuals and families have in sustaining stable housing in rural communities? Two main sets of literature relevant to this discussion include studies of patterns of residential mobility and explanations of rural economic restructuring. Both form the conceptual approach of this article by offering a framework to better understand the housing choices and behaviors of low‐income families and the contexts in which these actions are situated.     

The effects of rent restructuring on social housing in English rural areas

This paper discusses the impact of central government's rent restructuring policy on social housing in rural areas in England. It examines the effect that restructuring will have on the rents set by social landlords in a set of case study areas then considers some of the likely impacts on affordability and on new investment in rural social housing. One of the primary aims of rent restructuring policy is to reduce unjustifiable differences between the rents of similar dwellings in the local authority and Registered Social Landlord sectors locally. This aim seems likely to be achieved. In doing so, it is likely that affordability will be reduced in the local authority sector but enhanced for tenants of some RSLs. However, the reduction in real RSL rents that improve affordability may further constrain RSLs’ ability to invest in new social housing in rural areas. The paper concludes that rent restructuring by itself will not materially improve the housing prospects of the less well off in rural areas.     

Socioeconomic System of the Oil Boom and Rural Community Development in Western North Dakota

An oil boom is a complex social and economic phenomenon. The socioeconomic system presented in this article represents a novel effort to explicate boom impacts and changes, within a systems framework, at the community level to enhance community planning and development efforts. Most boomtown studies focus on longitudinal changes of a boom‐bust‐recovery cycle or social‐disruption‐based approaches. This article is an effort to demonstrate that longitudinal changes or social disruptions of a boom manifest through the interactions and interrelationships between social entities and stakeholders acting within the boom conditions and surrounding conditions. The socioeconomic system approach in this article analyzes the boom as a system, which provides a useful lens for many other rural communities currently experiencing unconventional oil and gas development in the United States. The socioeconomic system highlights five main challenges or factors that need to be addressed through community development strategies: develop affordable housing, invest in community infrastructure, expand public services, attract new businesses to the area, and develop better community integration strategies to build trust and unity within the community. This article is qualitative and exploratory in nature. As a result, it explicates the functions, structure, and relationships between system entities to provide a broader understanding of coherence, conflicts, and synergies within a system.     

Is there any merit to the merit-based immigration system? What Sub-Saharan African immigrant labor and housing market outcomes tell us about U.S. economic and immigration systems

For decades, U.S. immigration policy debates have centered on creating a merit-based system limiting entry to high-skilled immigrants. Yet the emphasis on merit-based immigration ignores the fact that high-skilled immigrants already enter the United States in merit-based immigration assume high-skilled immigrants benefit the U.S. economy because they are better able than low-skilled immigrants to translate skills into economic success. Using Sub-Saharan (Black) African immigrants' labor and housing market outcomes, I show that meritocracy only partially explains U.S. labor and housing outcomes, leaving a merit-based system unlikely to address America's economic needs. The majority of immigrants to the U.S. are non-White, and racial discrimination in the labor market results in occupational and wage disadvantages in the U.S. Due to the public charge rule, high skilled immigrants may be less likely to get their visas renewed or green card applications approved because of these labor market disadvantages. Without stable visa status, high-skilled immigrants will be less likely to make long-term economic investments in the United States—an important way of contributing to the U.S. economy. Together, research indicates that U.S. immigration reform will not work without first enacting policy addressing racial disparities in economic systems.     

Local and Regional Governments and Age-Friendly Communities: A Case Study of the San Francisco Bay Area

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which cities, county departments of adult and aging services, county transportation authorities, and public transit agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area have in place age-friendly policies, programs, and infrastructure in the areas of community design, housing, transportation, health care and supportive services, and opportunities for community engagement. The most common age-friendly features include those that target alternative forms of mobility (for example, incentives for mixed-use neighborhoods and changes to improve the accessibility of public transit), while the least common policies and programs are those that aim to help older adults continue driving, such as driver education programs, driver assessment programs, and slow-moving vehicle ordinances. The article concludes with policy and research implications of these findings.     

The Social Bases of Environmental Concern: Have They Changed Over Time?1

Abstract Using data obtained from National Opinion Research Center's General Social Surveys (1973–1990), this paper tests two hypotheses concerning possible changes in the sociopolitical correlates of environmental concern. The “broadening base” hypothesis predicts that environmental concern will diffuse throughout the populace, resulting in a broader base of support for environmental protection, while the “economic contingency” hypothesis predicts that the economically deprived will disproportionately withdraw support for environmental protection during poor economic conditions. Analysis of the data over the 18 years, however, failed to lend any clear support for either of the hypotheses. In marked contrast, results indicate that the social bases of environmental concern—at least as measured by the NORC environmental spending item—have remained remarkably stable over nearly two decades despite fluctuating economic, political, and environmental conditions. Younger adults, the well-educated, political liberals, Democrats, those raised and currently living in urban areas, and those employed outside of primary industries were found to be consistently more supportive of environmental protection than were their respective counterparts.     

Growth and Locational Impacts for Housing in Small Communities

Abstract Many Americans believe that small rural communities are ideal places to live. They assume that small rural communities offer a safe environment, a supportive community, and affordable housing. In contrast, research indicates that rural households are more likely to live in unsuitable or inadequate housing and have lower incomes, making affordable housing difficult to obtain. Although there are data highlighting regional or urban-rural differences, very little research has been conducted on the housing situation among small rural communities. The research presented here explores housing availability and affordability in 589 Midwestern communities. Findings indicate that, based on the community's growth and location, there are significant quantitative housing affordability and availability differences among small communities. However, these differences were contradicted by focus group discussions that indicated key similarities of housing concerns across small communities. The findings have potential impacts for public policy implementation in small communities.     

Housing policy in Nigeria: Government policies for housing Nigeria's urban poor and the working class: Laudable promises,great expectations,colossal failure

On 11 June 1976, delegates from Nigeria and 131 other nations' governments unanimously endorsed 64 “Recommendations for National Action” at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat) in Vancouver, Canada. These covered six key aspects of the human settlement question: settlement policies and strategies; settlement planning; shelter, infrastructure and services; land; public participation; and, institutions and management. Although most of the Recommendations were radical, the Nigerian government endorsed all of them. Indeed, Nigeria's Report to the Conference contained many promises which emphasised the Nigerian governments' commitment to the activity of improving the housing circumstances of her poor majority. The central aim of this paper is to attempt to examine what these promises were worth and what, after 9 years and 7 months, Nigerian governments have done to implement the Recommendations on “Shelter, Infrastructure and Services”. Since one of the major Habitat recommendations under this section was on the need for national governments to provide appropriate housing and its related services which are within the economic reach of the majority of their people, this paper attempts to analyse in detail the ability of low-income households in Nigeria to pay for government-built dwelling units. The three main parameters of the housing economics equations which I have used to establish this are: the initial capital cost of the dwelling unit; total annual household income; and the annual economic rent. It also examines the gap between the quantitative housing need and the official response; and, the adequacy and reliability of water supply refuse disposal and sewerage facilities. The paper concludes that there is still a very serious mismatch between the people's real needs and priorities and public housing policies aimed at meeting them.     

Quality of life and sustainability issues as seen by the population of low-income housing in the region of Campinas, Brazil

This paper presents a study on quality of life and sustainability indicators relating to site-planning parameters for low-income public housing projects in the region of Campinas, Brazil. The study is based on a post-occupancy-evaluation (POE), conducted in five housing developments. Most of these housing projects are based on a repetitive model and are devoid of urban infrastructure. Users act on their own in providing for some elements considered necessary to create an identity and community spirit. Results show that the population relates quality of life to economic factors and sustainability is associated to reduce utility bills. Houses are preferred to apartments and satisfaction with the present housing conditions is high, despite low feelings of security in the neighbourhood. This work is part of a broader study, which aims to develop design evaluation tools. Most sensitive quality of life and sustainability indicators related to site-planning should permeate these tools and establish design guidelines. The inclusion of a large number of qualitative design issues into the decision-making process and the questioning of existing standardized solutions are seen as essential means to increase local housing quality.     

加快上海公共租赁住房发展研究

公共租赁住房面向的是新就业职工群体,属于政策支持的租赁住房,是一种过渡周转性住房。通过发展公共租赁住房,上海将形成一个由廉租房、经济适用房、公共租赁住房三者共同构成的多层次住房保障体系。上海发展公共租赁住房要坚持政府主导、市场运作等基本原则,以及明确准入标准等基本思路,近期可采取加快相关制度建设、开展先行试点、搭建信息平台等具体措施。     

Environmental Nonprofit Campaigns and State Competition: Influences on Climate Policy in California

Over the past 20 years, the US Federal Government has been considered to be intransigent in its response to climate change by many commentators and not-for-profit environmental advocacy organizations (nonprofits). An enduring source of pressure on the US Government has been nonprofit campaigns operating at both a state and federal level. Six US environmental nonprofits representing a diversity of resources and prominence were selected for an in-depth examination of their climate-focused campaigns. Given the resistance at the federal level, these nonprofits have undertaken state-focused campaigns to achieve adequate climate policy development. This research examined some climate campaigns in California by the selected nonprofits that have supported, enhanced, and influenced the Californian Government’s efforts to address climate change. The campaigns have gained leverage from existing state competition for economic advancement and political leadership on issues of public concern. In addition, they appear to have benefited from a high level of environmental awareness in the community, a history of progressive environmental legislation, Governor Schwarzenegger’s use of climate change to differentiate his political leadership, and strong public trust of nonprofits. Recent climate-related political pledges and legislative changes at a federal level are convergent with the nonprofit-influenced, state-level developments.     

Leaving Chicago for Iowa's "Fields of Opportunity": Community Dispossession, Rootlessness, and the Quest for Somewhere to "Be OK"

In recent years, urban development and public housing demolition have posed challenges to the social and geographic rootedness of low-income African Americans in urban areas. In particular, in Chicago, widespread public housing demolition, occurring in the context of rapid gentrification, has contributed to increasing shortages of affordable low-income housing. This study uses in-depth interviews and participant observation to examine the migration experiences of men and women who have left urban neighborhoods and public housing developments in Chicago searching for affordable housing and economic opportunity in eastern Iowa. This particular analysis focuses on experiences of social and geographic "rootlessness" that emerged as a major theme in these interviews. Participants describe community dispossession in Chicago that has threatened not only the ties between individuals and their social support networks, but also connections and claims to the places in which these ties are rooted. Narratives that describe leaving Chicago in this context and then trying to get by as a stigmatized outsider in "someone else's city" speak to a process of dislocation that may disrupt critical social-support resources that are known to mitigate the consequences of structural disadvantage.     

The Needs of Elders in Public Housing: Policy Considerations in the Era of Mixed-Income Redevelopment

A number of studies have followed the changes in the lives of public housing residents forced to relocate because of redevelopment. From 2002 to 2007, researchers followed the residents of a public housing development from the first year when residents learned of the pending demolition through 4 years of resettlement. Elder residents dispersed throughout the city provide insights into what life is like for low-income seniors leaving their homes and entering as strangers into new neighborhoods. The article concludes with recommendations for rethinking aging in place for poor elders.     

Spatial Redistribution of Poverty through Migration of Poor People to Depressed Rural Communities1

Recent demographic studies document movement of poor people from both urban and rural places to depressed rural communities. Such migration redistributes poverty to rural areas and further concentrates it within them. This article presents a case study of one depressed community in New York that became a migration destination for urban poor people, causing dramatic increases in poverty rate, welfare rolls, and service needs. On-site research showed that the community's attraction was inexpensive rental housing that had become available after loss of manufacturing jobs prompted a middle-class exodus. The lack of jobs was not a deterrent for low-income inmigrants, though, because many of them had limited job skills and other employment barriers and would have had difficulty getting or holding a job anyway. Similar processes of economic decline, population loss, and poverty inmigration appear to be occurring elsewhere also. The article identifies community-level impacts and policy implications; it concludes with suggestions for further research needs.     

公共租赁房建设与新型城镇化

上海推进的公共租赁住房建设,是上海＂十二五＂期间住房保障体系的重要组成部分,符合深化住房制度改革和加快完善住房保障体系的总体要求,同时也与上海推进新型城镇化建设相呼应。新型城镇化的核心是＂人的城镇化＂,人的安居乐业是新型城镇化的关键所在。上海公租房政策对推动＂人的城镇化＂,具有极为重要的引导作用：强化了对非沪籍居民和中等收入阶层居住权的保障;有助于对工作者居住权利的保障;有助于带动整个区域的和谐、均衡发展。政府在推动公共租赁住房建设的过程中,还须适度扩大规模,改变产权式保障的传统思路;从严实行进出筛选机制,鼓励向上流动;坚持运作市场化、社区社会化、政策政府化;关注产业布局,突出其人才属性。     

Soutenir le marché : les nouveaux instruments de la politique du logement

This examination of the tax incentives to individuals, established since the 1980s, for stimulating investments in building new rentals runs counter to the prevailing opinion about the French state's withdrawal from the housing sector. These arrangements have become a key instrument in housing policy. Though playing a decisive part in designing them, public authorities then lose control to private players, in particular real estate developers, who play a key role in implementing them. As the analysis of these arrangements shows, players in the market depend on interventions by public authorities. In fact, the very nature of public interventions is altered not only by being more oriented toward market players but also by losing visibility. Furthermore, the costs are hard to assess, and the effects, highly uncertain.