Smart Growth and Affordable Housing

 

How Connecticut’s current development is hurting every community . . .

and why smarter growth may be the answer.

 

created by

 

The CenterEdge Project

 

                       

This fact sheet is a  brief summary of a speech given by  Dr. Bruce Katz, Director, Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C., at the Fannie Mae Foundation Annual Housing Conference in 2002.  The full text can be found on-line at http://www.brookings.org/views/speeches/katz/20021007.htm

 

 

Affordable Housing and Regional Disparities

 

 

· In metropolitan areas in the U.S., affordable housing is located primarily in the inner city and older suburban neighborhoods

 

 · These disparities in the location of affordable housing contribute to a concentration of poverty in inner cities.

 

· This places a strain on inner-city school systems, and can contribute to a lack of educational opportunities for lower-income city residents and the exacerbation of already existing problems of poverty.

 

 

Housing and Economic Opportunities

 

 

· The distance between affordable housing and jobs located in the suburbs leads to increased commuting and congestion across a metropolitan area.

 

· At the same time, employers encounter more obstacles to hiring suitable workers who live in a reasonable commuting distance

 

· Affordable housing residents find themselves increasingly isolated from economic opportunities and are less able to find secure, family-supporting work.

 

 

The Need for Housing Options

 

· Limited affordable housing in many communities can make it more difficult for senior citizens to remain in their homes following retirement.

 

· In addition, young people beginning careers may find themselves unable to afford to live in the communities where they grew up.

 

· Lack of affordable housing limits opportunities for low-income families, senior citizens, and younger families.

 

 

An Opportunity for Positive Change

 

· Ensuring that all communities offer their residents a diverse range of housing options leads to the creation of stronger and more resilient communities.