Author: Pauline Lake

Trinity College '13 Majors: Computer Science and Educational Studies

A Literature Search on Redlining

Posted on Author Pauline Lake

For this literature search assignment, I decided to conduct a literature search on “redlining.” I feel that redlining is a practice that has changed over time. Therefore, I looked for sources that contained  housing discrimination by means of redlining. From conducting this search, I found that documents containing redlining also contained information about housing discrimination in general. This reassured me that I was well on my way to conducting a useful literature search for the first essay assignment.

The first source that I found was an online book from a Congressional hearing about “reverse redlining,” which was published in 2009. 1 2 I later found the paperback version of the book on Amazon. From reading the first several pages, which are the transcripts of speeches, one can immediately gather that housing discrimination is still occurring despite acts, such as the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, that have been passed to aid the stop of such discrimination. In this document, it is noted that housing discrimination is most often affecting minorities that have low incomes, bad credit, and/or poor employment history. This document will be a great resource for background information regarding redlining and it’s current state of “reverse redlining.”

The second source I found was an article from the journal Challenge.   3 This journal article discusses the redlining controversy over time. This includes its relation to other housing barriers, as well as, banks and housing.  With the discussion of redlining and it’s relevance over time, this article will be helpful in arguing that housing barriers have changed over time.

My third source came from a 2008 issue of the Hartford Courant. The article discusses a new redlining that has been invented by mortgage lenders. 4 This new method or redlining is explained as rating zip codes by how they appear to be declining. The article explains how this kind of redlining is affecting the Hartford area in terms of purchasing homes. This article would be a good source to show that redlining is still existent, as well as, to compare how the types of redlining have changed over time.
The fourth source I looked into was the Outside the Neatline blog.. 5 Although I have seen the maps as part of past assignments, I thought that this would be a great source to use since it contains a lot of information about redlining since 1937. The website/blog seems to be an easy, but interesting, read that will allow me to interact with the maps of data that are included with the text. A source like this will be useful for explaining any changes over time that have occurred in specific areas around Hartford.

  1. United States. 2010. Predatory lending and reverse redlining: are low-income, minority and senior borrowers targets for higher-cost loans? : hearing before the Joint Economic Committee, Congress of the United States, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, first session, June 25, 2009. Washington: U.S. G.P.O. http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS122104. ↩
  2. Joint, United States Congress. Predatory Lending and Reverse Redlining: Are Low-income. Books LLC, Reference Series, 2011. ↩
  3. Dreier, Peter. “Redlining Cities: How Banks Color Community Development.” Challenge. Volume 34, No. 6 (November 1, 1991): 15–23. ↩
  4. Harney, Kenneth. “Mortgage Lenders Invent a New Way of Redlining.” Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn., United States, February 3, 2008, sec. HOME & REAL ESTATE. ↩
  5. Curtis. “Outside the Neatline: Redlining in Hartford Area, 1937: A Web-Based Map with Linked Documents.” Outside the Neatline, July 12, 2011. http://outsidetheneatline.blogspot.com/2011/07/redlining-in-hartford-area-1937-web.html. ↩

An Explanation of Exclusionary Zoning

Posted on Author Pauline Lake

Before this exercise, I had no idea what the term “exclusionary zoning” meant. So the very first thing I decided do, in order to get a quick idea of what it was, was to do what any other “technology kid” would do: I did a Google search. A quick search for “exclusionary zoning definition” lead me to Wikipedia and gave me the following definition:

“Exclusionary zoning is a term that, in the United States, has come to be applied to local zoning measures that impose costs or requirements that exclude certain uses.

Before the 1960’s, these measures were generally seen as a means to maintain or improve living conditions, community, open space, aesthetics, etc. It wasn’t until relatively recently that courts turned away from local interests to regional impact on housing holding exclusionary zoning to be unlawful in certain circumstances.”

But, after reading this I was still uncertain. As I continued looking through some of the search results, I found the following:

  1. “Zoning laws of a community that would serve to prohibit low- and moderate-income housing; considered illegal.  Example: Ocean Park adopted a zoning ordinance that required a housing density of not more than four homes per acre. This exclusionaryzoning would prevent apartments and condominiums from being built and was being challenged by a low-income housing developer.” (http://www.answers.com/topic/exclusionary-zoning)
  2. “Exclusionary zoning is a zoning that, excludes a specific class of people or type of business from a district.” (http://definitions.uslegal.com/e/exclusionary-zoning/)

This is when I realized that “exclusionary zoning” was simply a practice of applying building restrictions to areas in a way that would cause a group of people or establishments to be unable to take part in, or to be excluded from, particular areas. Moreover, exclusionary zoning includes specific kinds of policies that state how certain land and areas may be utilized. The Kirwan Institute report from November 2009 discusses how neighborhood conditions of a specific area can affect the opportunities that are available for those who are living there. Such neighborhood conditions may include land use policies such as exclusionary zoning.

Robert Whitten’s  “West Hartford Zoning: Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford” from 1924, discusses the meaning of zoning in pages 6-13. Specifically, he states a long definition on page 8:

Zoning Definition

Mr. Whitten further explains that zoning regulations may call for different types of districts in a specific location. For example, in 1924 West Hartford contained residential, business, and industrial districts. (See below for a self-made, sample visual of what this kind of zoning looks like.) At first glance, these these zoning regulations may seem unharmful. But, over the years they have proven to be troublesome for specific racial groups. The Kirwan Institute report sheds light on the negative affects of different types of zoning, including exclusionary. This includes the maintaining of segregation that was first caused by housing barriers, such as redlining and racial steering, in particular housing areas.

 

This picture is just an example. This map is of Hartford neighborhoods and three zoning restrictions that have, as an example, been placed in these neighborhoods. Zoning would allow low income residents only in the blue areas, high income residents in the yellow areas, and business in green areas.

 

Since research has noted a correlation between zoning, both exclusionary and inclusionary, and negative effects on residents, some states (like Connecticut) have used legislation to help lower the effects of zoning processes. For example, as the Kirwan Institute report states, Connecticut has an Affordable Housing Appeals Statue. But even though statues like this may be in place, zoning affects job availability as well as housing affordability. Thus, zoning impacts racial groups, their housing, and their opportunities.

 

Reece, Jason et al. People, Place and Opportunity: Mapping Communitites of Opportunity in Connecticut. Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.

Whitten, Robert Harvey. West Hartford Zoning. Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford,. West Hartford, CT: Zoning Commission, 1924. Print.

 

Added on 09/19/12

Wikipedia contributors. “Exclusionary Zoning.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., September 8, 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exclusionary_zoning&oldid=492571062.

An Explanation of Exclusionary Zoning

Posted on Author Pauline Lake

Before this exercise, I had no idea what the term “exclusionary zoning” meant. So the very first thing I decided do, in order to get a quick idea of what it was, was to do what any other “technology kid” would do: I did a Google search. A quick search for “exclusionary zoning definition” lead me to Wikipedia and gave me the following definition:

“Exclusionary zoning is a term that, in the United States, has come to be applied to local zoning measures that impose costs or requirements that exclude certain uses.

Before the 1960’s, these measures were generally seen as a means to maintain or improve living conditions, community, open space, aesthetics, etc. It wasn’t until relatively recently that courts turned away from local interests to regional impact on housing holding exclusionary zoning to be unlawful in certain circumstances.”

But, after reading this I was still uncertain. As I continued looking through some of the search results, I found the following:

  1. “Zoning laws of a community that would serve to prohibit low- and moderate-income housing; considered illegal.  Example: Ocean Park adopted a zoning ordinance that required a housing density of not more than four homes per acre. This exclusionaryzoning would prevent apartments and condominiums from being built and was being challenged by a low-income housing developer.” (http://www.answers.com/topic/exclusionary-zoning)
  2. “Exclusionary zoning is a zoning that, excludes a specific class of people or type of business from a district.” (http://definitions.uslegal.com/e/exclusionary-zoning/)

This is when I realized that “exclusionary zoning” was simply a practice of applying building restrictions to areas in a way that would cause a group of people or establishments to be unable to take part in, or to be excluded from, particular areas. Moreover, exclusionary zoning includes specific kinds of policies that state how certain land and areas may be utilized. The Kirwan Institute report from November 2009 discusses how neighborhood conditions of a specific area can affect the opportunities that are available for those who are living there. Such neighborhood conditions may include land use policies such as exclusionary zoning.

Robert Whitten’s  “West Hartford Zoning: Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford” from 1924, discusses the meaning of zoning in pages 6-13. Specifically, he states a long definition on page 8:

Zoning Definition

Mr. Whitten further explains that zoning regulations may call for different types of districts in a specific location. For example, in 1924 West Hartford contained residential, business, and industrial districts. (See below for a self-made, sample visual of what this kind of zoning looks like.) At first glance, these these zoning regulations may seem unharmful. But, over the years they have proven to be troublesome for specific racial groups. The Kirwan Institute report sheds light on the negative affects of different types of zoning, including exclusionary. This includes the maintaining of segregation that was first caused by housing barriers, such as redlining and racial steering, in particular housing areas.

 

This picture is just an example. This map is of Hartford neighborhoods and three zoning restrictions that have, as an example, been placed in these neighborhoods. Zoning would allow low income residents only in the blue areas, high income residents in the yellow areas, and business in green areas.

 

Since research has noted a correlation between zoning, both exclusionary and inclusionary, and negative effects on residents, some states (like Connecticut) have used legislation to help lower the effects of zoning processes. For example, as the Kirwan Institute report states, Connecticut has an Affordable Housing Appeals Statue. But even though statues like this may be in place, zoning affects job availability as well as housing affordability. Thus, zoning impacts racial groups, their housing, and their opportunities.

 

Reece, Jason et al. People, Place and Opportunity: Mapping Communitites of Opportunity in Connecticut. Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.

Whitten, Robert Harvey. West Hartford Zoning. Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford,. West Hartford, CT: Zoning Commission, 1924. Print.

 

Added on 09/19/12

Wikipedia contributors. “Exclusionary Zoning.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., September 8, 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exclusionary_zoning&oldid=492571062.

Housing Simulation Results and Reflection

Posted on Author Pauline Lake

Results and Reflection:

The home buying simulation exposed me to the world of home ownership and mortgages. I realized that finding a home involves considering other factors besides how many bedrooms the home contains and what the home looks like on the outside. I was able to experience how it feels to look for a home with having to consider the quality of life and education that I would like to give “my children.”  In addition, I was able to compare the cost of homes in areas around Hartford. In the process, I discovered which areas had a higher cost of living, as well as, whether or not the housing was well maintained. More importantly, I was exposed to the correlation between the neighborhood one lives in and the school districts that their children attend. For example, had my family chosen to live in a $264,000 home in Glastonbury, CT, my two children would attend a school district that has three magnet schools (one for each grade range), has 2011 CMT testing scores in which 90% of students were at/above the goals, and has a strategy to include parents, community, and staff in the education of the children. Whereas, if my family had chosen to live in a $129,000 home in New Britain, CT, then my two children would be able to attend school in a school district that has one elementary magnet school, has 2012 CMT scores that rank them at 7th among other districts with 20-30% at/above the goals, and has a summer program based on literacy. Overall, I learned that higher priced suburban homes are correlated with school districts that are more improved and have more options for schooling. I believe this is related to the neighborhood the housing is available in, as well as, the income of the residents, and how suburbs with higher priced living are often able to afford higher priced educations for the children.

In order to make the housing simulation capable on the web, one might consider creating a form on a webpage. This form could then be filled in with appropriate information depending on the student’s scenario. The student can use a calculator on the computer to make necessary calculations or use the calculators that are provided online. Making the links available on a single webpage (instead of in a separate Word document) would also be an option.

 

Please click here to view my completed housing simulation.

Housing Simulation Results and Reflection

Posted on Author Pauline Lake

Results and Reflection:

The home buying simulation exposed me to the world of home ownership and mortgages. I realized that finding a home involves considering other factors besides how many bedrooms the home contains and what the home looks like on the outside. I was able to experience how it feels to look for a home with having to consider the quality of life and education that I would like to give “my children.”  In addition, I was able to compare the cost of homes in areas around Hartford. In the process, I discovered which areas had a higher cost of living, as well as, whether or not the housing was well maintained. More importantly, I was exposed to the correlation between the neighborhood one lives in and the school districts that their children attend. For example, had my family chosen to live in a $264,000 home in Glastonbury, CT, my two children would attend a school district that has three magnet schools (one for each grade range), has 2011 CMT testing scores in which 90% of students were at/above the goals, and has a strategy to include parents, community, and staff in the education of the children. Whereas, if my family had chosen to live in a $129,000 home in New Britain, CT, then my two children would be able to attend school in a school district that has one elementary magnet school, has 2012 CMT scores that rank them at 7th among other districts with 20-30% at/above the goals, and has a summer program based on literacy. Overall, I learned that higher priced suburban homes are correlated with school districts that are more improved and have more options for schooling. I believe this is related to the neighborhood the housing is available in, as well as, the income of the residents, and how suburbs with higher priced living are often able to afford higher priced educations for the children.

In order to make the housing simulation capable on the web, one might consider creating a form on a webpage. This form could then be filled in with appropriate information depending on the student’s scenario. The student can use a calculator on the computer to make necessary calculations or use the calculators that are provided online. Making the links available on a single webpage (instead of in a separate Word document) would also be an option.

 

Please click here to view my completed housing simulation.