Suburbanisation of Poverty in the USA

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The changing landscape of poverty
The origins of suburban poverty
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Economists and sociologists focus on such a trend as the suburbanisation of poverty. It means that the income level of American people living in suburbs has declined significantly during the last two decades. In fact, many of them are considerably beneath the poverty line. It is necessary to explore this topic because this issue has significant implications for various professionals.

For instance, one can mention policy-makers who should work out the strategies that can be helpful for increasing the revenues of people living in such districts. Additionally, the knowledge of this topic is critical for launching short-term initiatives that can support families struggling with severe economic hardships.

One can identify several concepts that are important for the discussion of this topic. At first, much attention should be paid to class or socioeconomic variations that are related to people’s income level and their political power (Giddens et al. 2013: 163). Additionally, one should refer to such a notion as status that can be described as the prestige or social honor that a certain group possesses (Giddens et al. 2013: 163).

Moreover, it is important to remember that there are various markers of a social class. To some degree, these notions are important for describing poverty in American suburbs and explaining its origins. At first, it is necessary to provide quantitative data that can illustrate the modern landscape of poverty in the United States. Furthermore, one should examine a variety of factors that contribute to this trend. In particular, it is necessary to focus on the transformation of American economy and changing attitudes of people who previously wanted to settle in suburban areas.

The changing landscape of poverty

Overall, this phenomenon attracts much attention of many professionals because it implies that American society undergoes some profound changes. Traditionally, suburban areas have been associated with middle class or well-to-do individuals who achieved a certain degree of prosperity and financial independence.

In the second half of the twentieth century, many Americans were willing to move away from cities that could be affected by such problems as crime, environmental pollution, or poor functioning of educational institutions. In turn, the life in suburban areas offered such benefits as safe streets, absence of drugs, good quality of air and so forth. More importantly, many people wanted to emphasise their social status.

They wanted to demonstrate that they belonged to the prosperous classes of American society. In particular, they laid stress on the idea that they could purchase a house and a car. Furthermore, the development of transportation infrastructure enabled people to move between cities and suburbs relatively quickly.

In this case, it is necessary to mention the Federal Aid Highway Act because this law considerably contributed to the development of suburbs located far away from large metropolitan areas (Crane 2014: 321). Long distances were no longer a problem for people who did not live in the cities. These trends are useful for explaining the reasons why suburban communities were so attractive. In contrast, people belonging to the lower classes could not afford to purchase housing in such communities.

Certainly, one should not suppose that poverty was completely absent from these areas. Many residents of these communities could be affected by economic hardships, especially unemployment (Holliday and Timberlake 2014). So, to some degree, the views about the prosperity of suburbs were based on popular stereotypes that could be accepted by people without questioning (Holliday and Timberlake 2014).

Nevertheless, the percentage of such households was relatively low. In contrast, it was believed that poverty was more widespread in inner cities inhabited by representatives of various ethnical or racial minorities whose purchasing power was very weak (Holliday and Timberlake 2014). This situation could be observed about four decades ago.

However, this assumption is no longer correct. In particular, one can mention that between 2000 and 2008, the percentage of poor population in suburbs grew by approximately 25 percent (Garr and Kneebone 2010). Furthermore, it is necessary to note that at least 16.5 million people living in suburbs are beneath the poverty line (Sunburn 2014). It means that a household consisting of four individuals earns less than $23,492 within 12 months.

Thus, the scale of this problem is one of the reasons why various professionals pay attention to this tendency. Overall, the residents of these neighborhoods do not necessarily belong to the middle class. Moreover, one can say that suburban areas cannot be regarded as the havens of prosperity. It is one of the changes that have been identified by many researchers.

Additionally, one should speak about various problems that often accompany poverty; for instance, it is necessary to consider crime, alcohol abuse, and unemployment. Additionally, a great number of people living in such neighborhoods are dependent on the financial assistance offered by the state (Crane 2014).

It is one of the details that should not be overlooked because in the early sixties, the residents of such communities were willing to conceal their economic hardships. Therefore, one cannot argue that such areas appear very prestigious, as they did at least three decades ago. These changes are studied by sociologists who speak about the changing landscape of American poverty. Overall, it is important to explain the factors that contribute to this trend.

The origins of suburban poverty

Economic downturn

This process can be associated with several factors that are not always related to one another. At first, one should note that people living in these neighborhoods were employed in the industries that were adversely affected by the economic recession. In particular, it is important to consider such fields as construction or retailing.

In this case, much attention should be paid to the effects of the housing bubble that deteriorated the performance of many construction companies and their suppliers. Therefore, the income level of many households declined considerably. Certainly, these families were not necessarily beneath the poverty line; however, these people were no longer certain of their financial prosperity. It is one of the changes that should be taken into account.

Apart from that, one should not disregard considerable structural changes in the U.S. economy. In particular, many manufacturing firms were located in suburbs or in close proximity to them. However, these businesses were closed down due to such impacts as the gradual disappearance of trade barriers and globalisation of economy (Murphy 2010: 555). As a result, the number of jobs decreased. These economic trends affected the income level of many people living in suburban areas.

Such communities are often called the Rust Belt (Murphy 2010: 555). This term is used to refer the Northeastern United States; this part of the country currently struggles with such difficulties as population loss, economic decline and decay of suburban areas (Murphy 2010). This tendency began to manifest itself in the early nineties, and since that time, it has not been reversed. This process only exacerbated the effects of suburban poverty.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that there were many programs aimed at increasing the rate of homeownership in the United States. In turn, families with lower income could afford a house in suburban areas. They could receive home loans with lower interest rates. The main issue is that many families that settled in these communities were influenced by the economic recession.

Therefore, one can say that economic factors significantly changed the landscape of poverty in the United States. Nevertheless, one cannot fully understand this problem by examining it only from an economic perspective. It is also necessary to show how the attitudes of many people evolved during the last two decades.

Changing attitudes of affluent people

At first, one should bear in mind that there have been several programs that were supposed to make cities more attractive to affluent individuals. In particular, it is important to consider the growth of very prestigious neighborhoods located in downtowns. Such communities changed people’s views on the life in large urban areas (Holliday and Timberlake 2014).

These districts are now of great interest to people who want to highlight their social status and prestige. Furthermore, these places are more convenient because a person does not have to travel for a long time. Furthermore, housing in these districts was not accessible to people with a lower income level. Therefore, they preferred to go to suburban areas. It is one of the changes that should not be overlooked.

This tendency lowered the social status of suburbs. They were not longer associated with prosperity and success. So, affluent individuals adopted a different attitude towards these districts. At the same time, the tax base of suburban neighborhoods gradually declined. As a result, their infrastructure began to deteriorate.

Moreover, the declining tax base adversely affected the work of many schools located in these communities. Furthermore, the value of houses located in old suburbs declined. So, currently many well-to-do people do not believe that such neighborhoods are prestigious in any way. They are no longer markers of high social status.

One should keep in mind that many people prefer to settle in exurbs or small towns located outside large metropolitan and suburban areas (Holliday and Timberlake 2014). People can do so because transportation infrastructure helps them commute between cities and exurbs relatively quickly. This trend also contributes to the economic downturn of many old suburbs. As a rule, poverty rates are higher in these areas. Moreover, one can say that this tendency will not be reversed in the near future.

Overall, it is possible to say that the decline of suburbs cannot be attributed to a single cause. In this case, one should not speak only about economic recession that deprived many people of their jobs and permanent income. It is necessary to remember that changing attitudes of affluent individuals also play an important role.

These people do not always perceive the life in suburbs as a sign of high social status. In contrast, people, whose income level is lower, are drawn to these communities because they can find more affordable housing in these areas. These individuals are more vulnerable to economic hardships and changes in employment patterns.

Discussion

Admittedly, this discussion may not be sufficient for developing new policies that can reduce poverty in suburban communities. The challenges of these communities may differ considerably. For instance, the age of housing is one of the variables that are important for people with a high income level.

The degree of urban development is another factor that such individuals usually take into account. They may decide to settle in city neighborhoods if they are not influenced by crime. Apart from that, much depends on the economic environment in different parts of the United States. Availability of jobs in metropolitan areas is one of the factors that will influence the decisions of many people.

In turn, the policies of the government should be aimed at fostering the work of businesses that may represent different industries. In this case, the outcomes can be shaped by the so-called sociological imagination of public administrators. This term can be described as the ability to conceive the interactions of various social or economic factors influencing the life of individuals and groups (Mills 1959). This skill is important for assisting people struggling with poverty.

Conclusion

Suburbanisation of poverty is a relatively recent phenomenon that has been caused by a combination of different factors. At first, one should speak about the transformation of the U.S. economy. In particular, it is necessary to consider such aspects as the decline of different industries.

Additionally, one should not overlook the changing perceptions of many people who previously wanted to settle in suburban areas. In particular, they do not always believe that living in such districts is a sign of affluence, high social status or prestige. These details should be examined by policy-makers in order to introduce more effective policies.

References

Crane, Jeff. 2014. The Environment in American History: Nature and the Formation of the United States. New York, NY: Routledge.

Garr, Emily and Elizabeth Kneebone. 2010. “The Suburbanization of Poverty: Trends in Metropolitan America, 2000 to 2008.” Web.

Giddens, Anthony, Mitchel Duneier, Richard Appelbaum, and Deborar Carr. 2013. Introduction to Sociology. New York, NY: Norton & Company.

Holliday, Aaron and Jeffrey Timberlake. 2014. “Racial and ethnic trends in the suburbanization of poverty in the U.S. metropolitan areas, 1980-2010.” Journal Of Urban Affairs 36(1): 79-98.

Mills, Wright. 1959. Sociological imagination. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, US.

Murphy, Alexandra. 2010. “The Symbolic Dilemmas of Suburban Poverty: Challenges and Opportunities Posed by Variations in the Contours of Suburban Poverty.” Sociological Forum 25(3): 541-569.

Sunburn, Josh. 2014 “The Rise of Suburban Poverty in America.” Time. Web.

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