Overview
This lecture features NYU associate professor Patrick Sharkey discussing the causes and consequences of concentrated poverty in America, and its intersection with race, as part of the "Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America" initiative.
Understanding Concentrated Poverty
- Concentrated poverty refers to areas where a high percentage of residents live below the poverty line.
- These neighborhoods often lack resources like quality schools, safe parks, and healthy food options.
- Concentrated poverty significantly affects opportunities for children and families living in these areas.
Causes and Persistence
- Historical policies, such as housing segregation and discriminatory lending, contributed to the formation of high-poverty neighborhoods.
- Systems of racial segregation have led to a disproportionate number of people of color living in impoverished neighborhoods.
- Economic shifts, like loss of manufacturing jobs, have made it harder for residents to find stable employment.
- Once established, concentrated poverty is difficult to reverse; families often remain in these neighborhoods for generations.
Impact on Residents
- Children growing up in high-poverty areas face barriers to upward mobility, including underfunded education and exposure to violence.
- Concentrated poverty is linked to lower educational attainment, poorer health, and fewer job prospects.
- Neighborhood disadvantage can shape life outcomes independently of family poverty.
Addressing Concentrated Poverty
- Solutions require both place-based investments (improving neighborhoods) and mobility strategies (helping families move to better-resourced areas).
- Policy changes must address underlying segregation and systemic discrimination to break the cycle.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Concentrated Poverty — A geographic area where a large proportion of residents are poor.
- Segregation — The separation of groups, often by race or income, creating unequal access to resources.
- Upward Mobility — The ability of individuals or families to improve their economic status.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Watch related reports on concentrated poverty airing this week on MetroFocus, PBS Newshour Weekend, and NJTV News.
- Research local policies and programs aimed at reducing neighborhood poverty and segregation.