Housing and Social Issues: A Cross Disciplinary Review of the Existing Literature

Abstract Research conducted in North America over the last three decades is summarized in this article to explore the multidimensional nature of housing affordability and the negative social consequences that can result from failing to ensure appropriate housing options are available for low and moderate income families. Social implications of neighborhood quality, homeownership, public housing, housing quality, and homelessness are all considered within the context of public education, community health, and criminal activity. The literature review is intended to inform policymakers involved in affordable housing programs, as well as to encourage real estate developers to consider innovative ways to increase the supply of affordable rental and owneroccupied housing in ways that are both profitable and socially responsible. There is widespread agreement among policy analysts that an inadequate supply of affordable rental and owner-occupied housing can lead to a number of negative social outcomes. This literature review explores these relationships by examining five dimensions of housing affordability and the impact of each on educational attainment, community health, and criminal activity. Cross-disciplinary research conducted in North America over the last three decades serves as a foundation for the analysis and the first dimension of housing affordability considered is neighborhood quality. The social implications of homeownership are contemplated next, followed by a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of public housing versus privately owned affordable housing options. Studies assessing the detrimental effects of poor housing quality are then summarized before concluding with a review of the social ramifications of homelessness, the most severe dimension of housing depravation. Each section of the paper is intended to provide policymakers with a better understanding of the linkages between housing and social issues, while also establishing a basis for collaboration between the public and private sectors to identify socially responsible and profitable residential development strategies. NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY Economically disadvantaged families often live in areas with high concentrations of poverty due to a lack of affordable housing elsewhere. This type of environment is problematic because it has been found to have negative effects on local residents. The research summarized below considers the linkages between neighborhood quality, education, healthcare, and crime. NEIGHBORHOODS AND EDUCATION Social disorganization theory offers a useful starting point to examine the relationship between neighborhoods and education. It focuses on risks and resources at the neighborhood level that have countervailing effects on children (Byrd and Chavous, 2009). Key components of the theoretical framework include: collective socialization processes, social networks, social control mechanisms, economic opportunities, and institutional structures (Ainsworth, 2002; Nettles, Caughy, and O'Campo, 2008). Each can affect academic achievement in positive and negative ways. Collective socialization processes refer to the interactions individuals have with their surroundings that shape their norms and values (Crowder and South, 2003). Children residing in neighborhoods with an abundance of well-educated and employed adults are anticipated to succeed in school because the value placed on education by the community is passed on to the younger generation by example. Alternatively, children living in areas with high concentrations of poverty, pervasive criminal activity, and low levels of educational attainment are expected to mimic these behaviors and struggle in school. Empirical studies confirm the importance of collective socialization processes and some even conclude that the number of college graduates and professionals living within a neighborhood has nearly as great of an impact on academic outcomes as the quality of the instruction children receive in the classroom (Ainsworth, 2002; Byrd and Chavous, 2009). …