Housing Segregation:Correlation with Economics, Health and Education - Essay Example

Housing Segregation:Correlation with Economics, Health and Education Introduction Segregation is the act of separating a group or groups of people from a central body. Segregation is carried out on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, and social class. Segregation involves setting apart a group of people from essential services such as housing, education, healthcare, and employment. Discrimination is the prejudicial and unequal treatment of an individual or group of people based on ethnicity, religion, and race (Pager and Shepherd 182). Segregation and discrimination have been persistent issues in the United States social landscape over the years. In present times, segregation of racial minority groups is still a common occurrence. Segregation and discrimination have resulted in numerous adverse effects on the American society. The paper will examine the concept of housing segregation, its causes and the impact on society. The paper will also explore the issue of racial segregation in the sectors of education, health, and economics. Housing Segregation Housing segregation is the practice of denying a minority group the access to housing and residential opportunities. Housing segregation involves the separation of neighborhoods based on racial factors. Racial minority groups are segregated to less desirable and deplorable residential areas while the white majority is housed in more pleasant neighborhoods. Housing segregation has been a social issue in the US over the years into the modern era. Housing segregation is still routinely practiced around various residential areas in the country (Pager and Shepherd 188). “Although most immigrant groups have experienced some residential segregation in the United States, no immigrant group has ever lived under the high levels of segregation that currently exist for the African American population” (Williams and Collins 405). The quote from William and Collins’ report illustrates that the African American racial group has been the most affected by the problem of housing segregation. Other racial minority groups such as Asian American and Hispanic Americans have also been affected by housing discrimination in the US but to a lesser extent (Massey 352). Housing segregation began in the late 19th century after the civil war (Florida). Housing segregation became a common occurence in the early 20th century into the 1940s. Housing segregation was practiced in both urban and rural areas with the discrimination being more prevalent in southern states than northern states (Florida). Although housing segregation reduced substantially in the 1980s into the 2000s, the problem is still in existence as evidenced by sprawling ghettos in most metropolitan areas (Pager and Shepherd 188-189). Housing segregation occurs through the dissemination of inaccurate information, denial of financial services such as mortgages, racial steering, and denying realty. Housing segregation occurs when individuals are denied information regarding housing units or denied opportunities to view units. Housing segregation has had a sweeping negative impact of minority groups in terms of education, health and social status. The improvement of the socioeconomic status of the minority groups and implementation of equality laws has had little impact in reducing cases of residential segregation (Denton and Massey 2). Causes of Housing Segregation Various political, social, and economic factors have enabled the spread of housing segregation in the US. Government housing agencies have nurtured housing segregation over time by utilizing unfair economic policies. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) especially was significantly involved in perpetrating housing segregation in the 20th century (Seitles). The FHA implemented a policy called redlining that was used by financial institutions to determine how and who to give loans. The FHA evaluated the risks of loaning out to residents in various residential locations in cities around the US. Under the evaluation of the FHA, various neighbourhoods in metropolitan areas that were inhabited by a minority groups were redlined. Redlining these residential areas meant that people living in them would not access financial services such as loans and mortgages. Loans and mortgages were however disseminated to the white majority who lived in areas that the FHA determined as less risky (Florida). Therefore, residents in redlined areas had inadequate financial resources to undertake renovations and improvements in their homes. The lack of mortgages denied the minority groups the opportunity to build or buy quality houses (Seitles). Over time, the minority groups’ populations were concentrated in redlined areas and housing conditions declined rapidly. Several laws and policies implemented by the federal, judicial, state and local government have reinforced housing segregation. State and local institutions enforce policies that directly or indirectly lead to the residential segregation of racial minorities (Omi and Winant 145). In the 1920s, the judiciary allowed for the zoning of all areas under municipal control especially residential and commercial districts. “Largely African American and poor located in the central cities; the other predominantly white and affluent, located in suburbs” (Denton and Massey 4). Local governments used this policy to carry out racial segregation by allocating the white majority population to suburban areas while minority populations such as African Americans were relegated to less pleasant residential environments (Seitles). Although these zoning policies have been disregarded with time, their effects have extended into current times. The National Housing Act and the GI Bill passed in 1934 and 1944 respectively nurtured the growth of housing segregation (Seitles). The National Housing Act perpetrated housing segregation by denying racial minorities easy access to financial and economic services to enable them to buy homes in more attractive neighborhoods. The GI Bill allowed whites to access allowed for residential segregation by providing white army veterans and soldiers returning from war with mortgaging facilities. Their African American counterparts were denied equal financial opportunities and therefore settled in less expensive concentrated neighborhoods (Florida). The two legislations were aptly executed by state governments and housing agencies resulting in rampant housing segregations which has persisted in the American society. Various social factors have facilitated the growth of housing segregation. In the early 20th century, predominantly white communities discriminated against racial minorities. The white communities were violent and openly hostile to racial minorities who attempted to settle in such neighborhoods. “African American residents were concerned about physical retaliation from white residents if they moved to a white community” (Seitles). Such issue led racial minorities to opt for residential areas that had large racial minority populations. These areas had poor housing conditions and dense populations. White proprietors routinely denied racial minority groups the opportunity to rent or buy houses in their property (Pager and Shepherd 188). The discrimination was based on the racial stereotypes that portrayed racial minorities as violent and predisposed to crime (Florida). Landowners discouraged racial minorities from buying homes by untruthfully claiming than vacant houses had been purchased or demanding excessively high deposits. Another social phenomenon that perpetuated housing segregation was ‘white-flight’ (Seitles). White-flight was a term used to describe the migration of white populations from an area because of the increase in the number of racial minorities in that community. Impact of Housing Segregation Housing segregation has had broad adverse effects on the country and the segregated communities. Segregation has resulted in the concentration of poverty in residential communities inhabited by racial minority groups. Over the years, the segregated racial minority communities have grown poorer in comparison to predominantly white communities (Massey 231-232). Racial minorities in the segregated communities are denied financial services that would enable them to purchase better quality homes or to renovate their homes. The concentrated neighborhoods are denied access to essential services such as health care, water, transportation, and education leading to a further slump in economic status (Williams and Collins 116). Racial minorities living in segregated communities lack access to high paying employment opportunities. The racial segregation causes the poor economic conditions to be passed on from generation to the next in a cycle that preserves the low socioeconomic class of racial minorities. Due to the deplorable economic conditions in racial minority communities, there has been a marked increase in crime. The young populations in segregated communities lack access to education and employment opportunities resulting in a lack of income or skills to undertake economic activities (Williams and Collins 411-412). These factors lead the youth to engage in crime in order to get money. Housing segregation leads to the poor health conditions in racial minority neighborhoods. Segregated communities are denied access to medical services because of the low number of health care facilities in such neighborhoods (Pager and Shepherd 182-183). Segregated communities lack access to a wide range of health food supplies leading to low health status for racial minority residents. Pharmacies in minority neighborhoods have fewer medical supplies than white communities which poses a medical risk to the inhabitants (Williams and Collins 406-408). Housing segregation leads to poor education facilities in segregated neighborhoods. Quality education facilities are usually located in white neighborhoods. The racial minority communities are forced to attend low quality education facilities because of lack of income. Housing segragation leads to a widening of cultural differences between racial groups. Housing segregation reinforces and encourages negative racial stereotyping by concentrating racial minorities in one area and isolating them from other racial groups (Massey 353). There is a high prevalence of drug abuse and teenage pregnancies in segregated racial minority communities (Williams and Collins 406). Economics and its Relation to Segregation There still exists rampant segregation in terms of economic opportunities. Racial minorities are more likely to be discriminating during hiring than the white majority. “The wages of both blacks and Hispanics continue to lag behind those of whites” (Pager and Shepherd 187). The quote manifests that issues of economic discrimination are prevalent in the American economic landscape. The employment opportunities available to racial minorities are mainly unskilled and low paying jobs (Massey 330). High skilled and well-paying jobs have been moved from neighborhoods that have large racial minority populations to areas with high white populations. Middle-class racial minorities are incapable of translating their income status to their standard of living because of housing segregation that restricts them to racially concentrated areas. The poor residential conditions in segregated communities lead to the development of underclass communities that further derail the development of racial minorities (Massey 331). Education and its Relation to Segregation Housing segregation has an adverse effect on the levels of education in racial minority communities. Educational institutions in white neighborhoods are better equipped and have high qualified teachers than minority communities (Pager and Shepherd 198). Housing segregation causes schools in minority neighborhoods to have a high number of reported cases of teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, alcohol and drug abuse. The poor quality of the institutions prevents racial minorities from joining tertiary education institutions. Racial minority neighborhoods lack the capacity to support private schools resulting in children attending the inferior public schools. Schools in segregated neighborhoods record low test score, fewer cases of advanced placement, inadequate academic guidance, and a less developed academic curriculum (Williams and Collins 406). The low level of education contributes to a lower economic status which forces racial minorities to inhabit the cheaper concentrated communities. Health and its Relation to Segregation Racial segregation has been identified as a contributing factor for the healthcare inequalities in the American society. The low social economic status of minority neighborhoods causes the withdrawal of medical facilities and reduction in the quality of healthcare services provided (Massey 347). The available public healthcare institutions in segregated communities are poorly equipped, have low supplies of medicine and are run by poorly qualified healthcare providers. Minority communities experience high infant mortality rates than white communities. The substandard quality of healthcare leads to the existence of heart diseases and a lower life expectancy in minority neighborhoods (Williams and Collins 408). The housing segregation results in disparities in the distribution of healthy food supplies. Nutritionally superior food is directed towards the affluent white neighborhoods while less healthy food is distributed in minority communities. The poor conditions in minority communities discourage the practice of health promoting behavior such as engagement in sports and exercising. Therefore, housing segregation has a negative impact on the levels of health. Conclusion Segregation is the act of separating a group or groups of people from a central body on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, and social class. Housing segregation is the practice of denying a minority group the access to high quality housing and residential opportunities. Housing segregation began in the late 19th century, escalated in the 20th century and is still prevalent in the society. Housing segregation occurs through the dissemination of inaccurate information; denial of loans and mortgages; racial steering, and denying realty to minorities. Governmental, judicial and legislative policies and legislations over the years have led to the existence of housing segregation. Social factors such as stereotyping and white-flight have caused housing segregation. Housing segregation has resulted in deficient education, lower socioeconomic levels, poor health, and an increase in social vices such as crime, drug abuse and teenage pregnancies. Various legislative, economic and social factors need to be changed in order to eliminate housing segregation. Works Cited Denton, Nancy and Douglas Massey. American apartheid. Peterborough: Descartes. 1995. Print. Florida, Richard. "A Painstaking New Study Reveals the Persistence of U.S. Racial Segregation ." City Lab. 2015. Web. 31 Aug. 2015 . Massey, Douglas S. "American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass." American Journal of Sociology 96.2 (1990): pp.239-357. Omi, Michael and Howard Winant. Racial Formation in the United States. New York, NY: Routledge, 2014. Print. Pager, Devah and Hana Shepherd. "The Siciology of Discrimination: Racial Discrimination in Employment, Housing, Credit and Consumer Markets." Annual Review of Sociology 34 (2008): pp.181-209. Seitles, Marc. "The perpetuation of residential racial discrimination in America: Historical, modern forms of exclusion, inclusionary remedies." Journal of Land Use and Environmental law. 1996. Web. 31 Aug. 2015 . Williams, David and Chiquita Collins. "Racial Residential Segregation: A Fundermental Cause of Racial Disparities in Health." Public Health Reports 116 (2001): pp.404-413. Read More