Why NOT in My Backyard? Neighborhood Impacts of Deconcentrating Assisted Housing

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“Push has come to shove,” say the authors of this long-awaited study. National and local housing policies favoring the deconcentration of assisted housing repeatedly encounter strong opposition in destination neighborhoods. But is there an empirical basis for neighborhood concerns? If so, how should policymakers respond? This book provides a comprehensive evaluation of the neighborhood property value and crime impacts of deconcentrated assisted housing. Using a multimethod research strategy, the authors analyze a Section 8 program in Baltimore County, a scattered-site public housing program in Denver, and a supportive housing program for special-needs populations in Denver as case studies. The study addresses the following questions: Does assisted housing of various types cause negative neighborhood impacts? Do impacts vary across different types of neighborhoods? Do the spatial concentration or the scale of the facility affect neighborhood impacts? How can deconcentration programs be revised to minimize negative impacts on neighborhoods? The authors combine archival research, informant interviews, econometric analysis, and focus groups to obtain definitive answers to these questions and provide practical recommendations for policymakers across the country who are forming and implementing programs to deconcentrate assisted housing. This important book fills a glaring knowledge gap to aid the formulation and implementation of national and local housing policy. It should be read by students, policymakers, and neighborhood residents alike.