Partners SEGREGATION IN ST. LOUIS: LOUIS: SEGREGATION ST. IN Ascend SEGREGATION IN ST. LOUIS: DISMANTLING THE DIVIDE DISMANTLING THE DIVIDE April 2018 April This project is funded in part by the Missouri Foundation for Health and Wells Fargo. Cover Photo by R.J. Hartbeck TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................................................... 02 1 Segregation at the center ............................................................................................................................................................... 04 2 St. Louis: A city of promise, a history of segregation ......................................................................................... 14 3 Zoned out of the suburbs, displaced from opportunity: More tools of segregation and exclusion ....................................................................................................................... 26 4 North St. Louis County: Segregation and tenuous diversity ..................................................................... 48 Timeline: History of segregation and housing ......................................................................................................... 58 5 Segregation in St. Louis today .................................................................................................................................................. 64 6 Dismantling the divide: Segregation’s invisible boundaries ...................................................................... 86 7 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................................................... 96 Glossary of terms ................................................................................................................................................................................ 106 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 108 Reference list ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 112 Dismantling the Divide 1 Acknowledgments We appreciate the expertise and insight provided by the following people in development of key issues and recommendations: Glenn Burleigh, Metropolitan St. Louis This report was written collaboratively Equal Housing and Opportunity Council; Thomas Harvey, formerly of ArchCity Defenders; Jacki Langum, ArchCity and in partnership with multiple Defenders; Nicole L. McKoy, Affordable Housing and organizations and experts who Homelessness Task Force, Empower Missouri; David Nehrt-Flores and Jane Oliphant, Ascend STL; and Peter shared their time and knowledge. W. Salsich, Jr., Saint Louis University. We thank Lara Granich, who facilitated the process of We are grateful to the following gathering input from regional leaders and the development groups and individuals for their of an action plan based upon this report. input and support. The inspiration for this report came from discussions emanating from two events held in September 2015 and We would like to thank Paul Fehler and Brian Schmidt February 2016 called “Next Steps.” We thank our partners of Missouri Wonk for their research and data analysis in the Institute for Public Health at Washington University on affordable and inclusive housing in the region; and at Forward Through Ferguson for co-hosting these Jason Purnell, Nancy Cambria, and Laura Brossart from events. A workgroup on housing was formed following the For the Sake of All project team for their diligent work the pair of Next Steps meetings. Our thanks to those who writing, editing, and conceptualizing the design of the report. attended our workgroup meetings, completed surveys, and shared their knowledge to help shape the vision for a more Special thanks to E. Terrence Jones, University of Missouri- equitable and inclusive St. Louis in terms of housing, St. Louis; Karl Guenther, Community Builders Network including: Sally Altman, consultant to For the Sake of All; of Metro St. Louis, Molly Metzger, Washington University; Charles Bryson, Civil Rights Enforcement Agency, City and Todd Swanstrom, University of Missouri- St. Louis, of St. Louis; Ethel Byndom, Office of Community for their contributions of content expertise on the regional Empowerment, St. Louis County; Stephanie Co, Beyond and national history and current challenges in housing Housing, Inc.; David Dwight IV, Forward Through patterns and policies and their editorial recommendations Ferguson; Lori Fiegel, Department of Planning, St. Louis on initial drafts of the report. County; Justin Idleburg, Board of Directors, Forward We are deeply indebted to Colin Gordon, author of Mapping Through Ferguson; Sarah Kennedy, Generate Health; Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City, and Don Logue, Community Forward, Inc.; Mattie Moore, Richard Rothstein, author of The Making of Ferguson: independent consultant; and Don Roe, Planning and Public Policies at the Root of its Troubles and The Color of Urban Design Agency, City of St. Louis. Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated Our sincere gratitude also goes to residents of the St. Louis America, whose research on St. Louis significantly informed region who shared their personal stories and provided a this report. crucial human connection to the history and data presented We thank additional For the Sake of All team members in in this report: Anthony Bartlett, Sam Blue, Christina and the Brown School at Washington University for their roles Kevin Buchek, Alecia Deal, Cheeraz Gorman, LaTosha managing the production of this report, including: Jasmine Halk, Danielle McCowan, Elle and Kevin Lashley, Betsy Burris and Michelle Witthaus for production management Meyland-Smith, Tony Messenger, Brandy and Darren and coordination, and Derek Holland and Sheree Hickman Owens, Christine Schmiz, Shauna and Stephanie, Shanette for research support. Upchurch, John Warren, Ciara Washington, Thera Webster, and Tonya Williams. 2 Segregation in St. Louis Thanks as well to Ellen Futterman, editor of the St. Louis Jewish Light, for copy-editing support; Jager Boston, whose excellent graphic design transformed text and data into an accessible and engaging narrative; the National Community Reinvestment Coalition for permission to reprint maps and research on mortgage lending and demographics in areas previously affected by redlining in St. Louis; the Missouri History Museum for permission to reprint historic photos and newspaper articles; the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for permission to reprint numerous photographs taken by its photojournalism staff; St. Louis Public radio for permission to reprint photos taken by Carolina Hidalgo; and Whitney Curtis, who granted permission to reprint past photographs and also photographed many of the residents interviewed for the report. And finally, we thank the Missouri Foundation for Health and Wells Fargo, for their generous support of the research, production, and printing of this report. An early community work group discussing “next steps” to achieve quality neighborhoods in the St. Louis region by supporting inclusive, affordable housing. Dismantling the Divide 3 01 SEGREGATION AT THE CENTER Place matters. Where people live in St. Louis has been shaped by an extensive history of segregation that was driven by policies at multiple levels of government and practices across multiple sectors of society. The effect of segregation has been to systematically exclude African American families from areas of opportunity that support positive economic, educational, and health outcomes. 4 Segregation in St. Louis Health disparities in St. Louis disparities often continue to be found between racial groups. In other words, even when African Americans One of the most important messages in the original For the and whites have comparable levels of socioeconomic status, Sake of All report was that health is determined by multiple health disparities remain. This suggests that attending to factors beyond the quality and availability of healthcare.1 education, employment, and income alone will not entirely Through an extensive review of data on the St. Louis region, close the gaps between African Americans and whites the report highlighted the critical links between health detailed in For the Sake of All. Racism and the enduring and education, income, and the quality of neighborhoods, legacy of systematic racial bias must be addressed along among other factors. It noted that limited access to these with social and economic resources.3 crucial resources for many African Americans helps to Of course, one of the most cited findings of the original explain differences in health outcomes like disease, disability, report was the 18-year gap in life expectancy at birth and ultimately, death. Indeed, public health research has between the 63106 ZIP code in North St. Louis City confirmed that those with fewer social and economic and the 63105 ZIP code in the Clayton area of St. Louis resources experience worse health, poorer quality of life, County—a geography separated by less than 10 miles greater disability, and earlier death than their more