Race and the Transformation of Public Housing in the US
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“When they’re gone, we’re gone”: Race and the transformation of public housing in the U.S. Edward G. Goetz University of Minnesota City Futures Research Centre, University of New South Wales October 1, 2014 Located in “the only remaining building of the historic Jane Addams Homes on the Near West Side. The three-story brick building at 1322-24 West Taylor opened in 1938 as the first federal government housing project in Chicago. It housed hundreds of families over six decades, and has sat vacant since 2002.” http://www.publichousingmuseum.org/site/epage/47450_663.htm 1. Neoliberalizing public housing 2. Gentrification & center- city redevelopment 3. Race 4. The interests of residents “Within sight of us today, there stands a tribute to useful work under government supervision.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt, November 13, 1935. At the dedication of Techwood Homes, Atlanta The “next step in the country’s economic recovery…” Sen. Robert F. Wagner (D-NY), 1937 “Discourse of Disaster” “isolated…dangerous… “hellholes of gunshots, drugs, oppressive…overwhelmed crime and stench” (Peirce 1995) …prison-like…reeking… bleak and battered” (Pfeiffer 2007) “synonymous with gangs, drugs, misery and murder” (Kohn 2003) “as close to the approaches to hell as one can find in America” Henry Cisneros, HUD Secretary 1992-1995 “public housing is a failed policy and in many ways an immoral policy” Rick White, Atlanta Housing Authority “soul crushing” Bruce Katz “monuments of hopelessness” Al Gore Neighborhood effects of concentrated poverty “to take poor residents out of crime-ridden, dilapidated, mismanaged high-rises and place them in mixed-income communities where they can thrive.” “opportunity neighborhoods” and “communities of choice” Atlanta, GA Obsolescence • functional obsolescence “obsolete and uninhabitable” “outmoded” Nashville, TN “built to an obsolete standard and few…worth saving” • policy/programmatic obsolescence “command and control bureaucratic model” “akin to being an East German business manager” compared to “locally-focused, opportunity seeking, full service real estate development and holding company” “…the public housing program continues to provide an important rental housing resource for many low-income families and others.” (p. 2) “traditional approaches to revitalizing seriously distressed Efforts should be “should be public housing have too often limited to the rehabilitation and emphasized the physical condition of replacement of that portion of the developments.” (p. 3) the public housing stock that meets the criteria of severe distress as defined by the Commission” (p.17) the program “must “HUD should revise its not detract from the policy on impaction development of new rules and limitations to public housing but allow replacement units instead be promoted in on the same site or in addition to it.” (p. 85) the surrounding neighborhood…” (p. 87) Section 18 “de facto demolition” HOPE VI Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Rental Assistance Demonstration Athens, GA Sale Minneapolis, MN Columbus, OH Techwood Homes, Atlanta built 1936 demolished 1995 Lafitte, New Orleans built 1941 demolished 2008 On the site of former Laurel Homes public housing, Cincinnati, OH Arthur Blumeyer, St. Louis, MO Jersey City, NJ Harbor View Homes, Duluth, MN where Cleaborn Homes used to be (Memphis) formerly Bankhead Courts (Atlanta) site of Bowen Homes (Atlanta) Where they are coming down (c. 2007) Chicago: 16,461 Philadelphia: 7,809 Atlanta: 7,160 New Orleans: 5,628 Baltimore: 5, 117 Newark: 4,475 Detroit: 4,503 Memphis: 3,912 Public housing removal as percentage of total PH stock (1990-2007) • Hartford, CT 56% • New York City <1% • Memphis 55% • Phoenix 2% • St. Petersburg 55% • San Diego 3% • Atlanta 49% • Mobile 5% • Tucson 48% • Miami 5% • Hampton, VA 45% • Oakland 10% • Tampa 45% • Cleveland 12% • Little Rock 43% • Boston 15% Explaining city variation in demolition Racial segregation Black middle class Racial identification of public housing Gentrification pressures Housing market Concentrations of poverty Crime PHA management Politics Explaining city variation in demolition Racial segregation 1990-2000 Black middle class Racial identification of public housing Gentrification pressures Housing market Concentrations of poverty Crime PHA management Politics Explaining city variation in demolition Racial segregation 2000-2007 Black middle class Racial identification of public housing Gentrification pressures Housing market Concentrations of poverty Crime PHA management Politics Disproportionate racial impact? Percent of public housing units occupied by blacks 48 Nationally 66 Large PHAs (>5,000 units) 80 Demolitions in largest U.S. cities (n=305) Bernal Dwellings, San Francisco 208 units demolished in 1997 93% occupied in 1996 69% African-American 49% of all SF public housing in 1996 occupied by African- Americans Disparity ratio: 69/49 = 1.41 St. Clair Village, Pittsburgh / Lonsdale Homes, Knoxville / Scott Homes, Miami / Elizabeth Park Homes, Akron / McConaughy Terrace, New Haven / Dunbar Manor, Dayton / Curtis Park, Denver… St. Clair Village, Pittsburgh, PA - demolished 2009 Demolished Remaining public public housing housing 80% Black 73% 12% Hisp 11% 80% FHH 78% 32% LT $5k 25% 15% Senior 26% Unweighted disparity ratio: 1.10 weighted ratio: 1.08 The Washington, DC 99% Memphis 99% Reservation Detroit 99% Effect Birmingham 99% New Orleans 99% St. Louis 97% Philadelphia 97% Atlanta 92% Baltimore 92% Neighborhood change induced by public housing transformation Future directions 1. How public housing transformation has reimaged the American city Future directions 2. Political struggle and resistance Coalition to Protect Public Housing Chicago Thank you Outhwaite Homes, Cleveland .