Public Housing Policy

E151U

Housing & Urban Development Policy

Public Housing Policy Public Housing Policy

Public Housing Policy in America Public Housing Policy in America implemented the way it has over the implemented the way it has over the last century has imposed contradictory last century has imposed contradictory pressures that are not well understood pressures that are not well understood and lead to false understandings of and lead to false understandings of how it operates today and how it can how it operates today and how it can be improved.be improved.

BackgroundBackground

Public housing was never meant to Public housing was never meant to “warehouse the poor.” It was meant to “warehouse the poor.” It was meant to give working people a home – during give working people a home – during periods of national economic crises.periods of national economic crises.

Pictures Source: http://history1900s.about.com/library/photos/blygd40.htm

World War IWorld War I

– Housing for defense contractor workersHousing for defense contractor workers

– United States Shipping Board Emergency United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet CorporationFleet Corporation

– The United States Housing CorporationThe United States Housing Corporation

Great DepressionGreat Depression– Put people to work by doing construction Put people to work by doing construction

and remove blightand remove blight

– Public Works Administration (PWA)Public Works Administration (PWA)» 22,000 units built 22,000 units built » majority built in the north and large citiesmajority built in the north and large cities» most tenants were White and working most tenants were White and working

(WWII stimulated the economy)(WWII stimulated the economy)

Housing Act of 1937Housing Act of 1937

– Set the Foundation for permanent public Set the Foundation for permanent public housinghousing

– Allowed the creation of local public Allowed the creation of local public housing authorities that took over PWA housing authorities that took over PWA housinghousing

Economic Efficiency of Public Economic Efficiency of Public HousingHousing

– Housing subsidiesHousing subsidies» No new constructionNo new construction» Stimulated demand too much for pre-Stimulated demand too much for pre-

existing low quality housingexisting low quality housing– Conventional Public OwnershipConventional Public Ownership

» Construction spending put people to workConstruction spending put people to work» New structures removed dilapidated New structures removed dilapidated

buildingsbuildings

Housing Act of 1949Housing Act of 1949

Additional construction Additional construction Limited to very low incomeLimited to very low income Fewer units built than originally plannedFewer units built than originally planned

Economic Efficiency Argument Economic Efficiency Argument falls apart--1950s and 1960sfalls apart--1950s and 1960s

– No limit on price of land for public housing, No limit on price of land for public housing, but limit on cost per unit constructionbut limit on cost per unit construction» Result: Politics determined location. Result: Politics determined location.

Shoddy projects builtShoddy projects built– Rents collected were linked to income of Rents collected were linked to income of

residents: 30% residents: 30% » Result: Not enough money to keep up the Result: Not enough money to keep up the

projectsprojects

Racial PrejudiceRacial Prejudice

Picture Source: http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/photoessay.htm

1950s-1960s: 1950s-1960s: The Civil Rights MovementThe Civil Rights Movement

Picture Source: http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jan/king.html

Policies Trigger Change Policies Trigger Change

EducationEducation: Brown v. Board of Education of : Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, U.S. Supreme Court (1954)Topeka, U.S. Supreme Court (1954)

““separate is inherently unequal”separate is inherently unequal”

Domino effectDomino effect: whites flee, poor African-: whites flee, poor African-Americans concentrated in public housingAmericans concentrated in public housing

RedevelopmentRedevelopment: 1) neighborhoods razed, : 1) neighborhoods razed, more poor flee to public housing; 2) the more poor flee to public housing; 2) the stigmatization of public housingstigmatization of public housing

Gautreaux v. Chicago Gautreaux v. Chicago Housing Authority (1966)Housing Authority (1966)

Class action suit charging racial Class action suit charging racial segregation in Chicago’s public segregation in Chicago’s public

housing (rights violations under Civil housing (rights violations under Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the equal Rights Act of 1866 and the equal

protection clause of the 14protection clause of the 14 thth Amendment)Amendment)

The Design Bungle: The Design Bungle: Pruitt-Igoe Housing ProjectPruitt-Igoe Housing Project

Picture sources: http://bacweb.the-bac.edu/~michael.b.williams/Pruitt-Forum.html; http://www.eslarp.uiuc.edu/la/LA338-S01/groups/b/Evolution1.html

What Went Wrong?What Went Wrong?

Modernist Architecture (but administrative Modernist Architecture (but administrative short cuts)short cuts)

Designed for art not functionDesigned for art not function- No “ownership” or control of public areas - No “ownership” or control of public areas - Disconnection between living and - Disconnection between living and recreational spacesrecreational spaces- No services/activities for young people- No services/activities for young people- Downward spiral- Downward spiral

Devolution starting in the 1970sDevolution starting in the 1970s

Federal government owned 1 million Federal government owned 1 million units in 1974units in 1974

TypesTypes

-- 80% Conventional Public Housing: -- 80% Conventional Public Housing: Government Built, Government Government Built, Government

RunRun

-- 20% Turnkey: Private sector built, -- 20% Turnkey: Private sector built, Government Run Government Run

1980s and 1990s1980s and 1990s

Budget cuts, new emphasesBudget cuts, new emphases

-- Resident Management-- Resident Management

-- Home Ownership: 1990 Act-- Home Ownership: 1990 Act

Encourages residents to buy their unitEncourages residents to buy their unit

-- Private Market & Deconcentration: -- Private Market & Deconcentration: Section 8 Section 8

A Future for Public Housing?A Future for Public Housing?

Residents of Public HousingResidents of Public Housing

SatisfactionSatisfaction AmbivalenceAmbivalence