As I sat in my Organizing by Neighborhood class last week, the most important thing that I took from the lecture is that neighborhoods go through cycles. As we are examining the connections between housing and schooling in Cities, Schools and Suburbs this is a very important anecdote to keep in mind. Redlining, block busting, restrictive covenants and racial steering were practices that increased racial segregation and these practices were overtly discriminatory. On the other hand, the introduction and implementation of zoning codes not only served a purpose in the effectiveness and efficiency of land use in cities, but also allowed the governing officials to continue to racially segregate people in amore discreet manner (Wikipedia). Zoning codes are and continue to be one of the most powerful tools that restrict people from moving into certain neighborhoods.
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Exclusionary zoning often excludes low-income families and people of color from attaining quality and affordable housing, education, employment et cetera. Some factors effecting low- income families and people of color are restrictions on multi-family development, minimum lot sizes, age restricted zoning, and low density zoning (Reece p. 20). Although these restrictions are not explicitly discriminating against low-income families and people of color, they further perpetuate their lack of access to opportunity.
West Hartford’s 1924 report to their Zoning Commission states, “Zoning is the direction of building development along orderly and well considered lines of city growth…On the human side zoning means better homes and an increase of health, comfort and happiness for all people (Whitten).” On the contrary to what was written in their report, zoning meant better homes, increase of health and comfort and happiness for some not all.
The case of Village of Euclid, v. Ambler Realty Co in 1926 was the first significant attempt to combat exclusionary zoning (Wikipedia). Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the Village of Euclid, there are still efforts to fight against exclusionary zoning in pursuit for equal opportunity and access for all. The Connecticut Fair Housing Center and Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity has partnered to not only identify but also propose solutions to growing opportunity disparities that persist for low-income families and people of color. The creation of opportunity maps is a great first step in changing the housing landscape today. Changes in the current housing landscape will in turn change other related factors including, but not limited to quality education, employment opportunities and benefits, and more healthy living in which everyone should be afforded regardless of their background.
Sources:
“Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Sept. 2012. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_of_Euclid,_Ohio_v._Ambler_Realty_Co.>.
Reece, Jason. “People, Place and Opportunity: Mapping Communities of Opportunity in Connecticut.” Connecticut Fair Housing Center: 1-32.
Whitten, Robert H. “West Hartford Zoning: Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford.” West Hartford, Conn: Zoning Commission, 1924 (courtesy of the Connecticut State Library)
“Zoning.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Sept. 2012. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoning>.