Reorienting Housing Policy

For generations state and federal programs have placed subsidized housing in areas that are struggling.  In fact, according to the best available data, for most subsidized housing programs upwards of 70% of units are located in the 6% of Connecticut that is disproportionately minority.  This has resulted in areas of deep poverty concentration and contributed to a lack of affordable housing options in areas with more resources – also called “higher opportunity areas.”  In turn, this has fostered racial segregation and disinvestment.

Solutions:

• Reach out to communities to generate a coalition movement for opportunity access everywhere.
  
  
• Conduct supporting policy research on particular housing programs, housing needs, the impact of segregation.
  
  
• Educate policymakers on innovative and effective strategies for promoting opportunity and affirmatively furthering fair housing.

• Support initiatives to make opportunity-enhancing investments in under-resourced areas. 

 Resources:

• Place Matters:  Using Mapping to Plan for Opportunity, Equity and Sustainability, Kirwan Institute
  
  
• People, Place, and Opportunity:  Mapping Communities of Opportunity in Connecticut, Kirwan Institute

• Do Federally Assisted Households Have Access to High Performing Public Schools?, Furman Center