Post on 16-Dec-2015
Elizabeth KneeboneBrookings Institution
Confronting Suburban Poverty
1The geography of poverty and opportunity has changed
Current policies are not aligned to this new geography2
3We need a new agenda for metropolitan opportunity
The geography of poverty and opportunity has changed1
Much of our work focuses on the country’s 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas, which house two-thirds of the nation’s population
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Metropolitan areas are statistical representations of “commuter sheds” and, by extension, labor markets
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of Census 2000 data
PRIMARY CITY in the 100 largest metro areas: First city in the MSA name; Any other named city with a population over 100,000
SUBURBS in the 100 largest metro areas: Remainder of the MSA outside the primary city or cities
SMALL METRO AREA: Any other MSA not in the top 100
RURAL: Any county not in an official MSA
Today, suburbs are home to the largest and fastest growing poor population
Source: Brookings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data
1970 1980 1990 2000 2013
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000Suburbs Cities Small Metros Rural
NOTE: The federal poverty threshold for a family of four was $23,834 in 2013
This shift was well under way before the Great Recession
Percent change in poor population, central cities versus suburbs, 1970 to 2012. Source: Brookings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data
2000 to 2013
1990 to 2000
1980 to 1990
1970 to 1980
66%
19%
18%
10%
29%
8%
16%
12%
% Change City Poor % Change Suburban Poor
Between 2000 and 2013, the suburban poor population increased in 92 of the top 97 metros
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS and decennial census data
Change in the Suburban Poor Population, 2000 to 2013Under
50%50% to 75% 75% to 100% 100% to
150%Above 150%
By 2013, 65 of the top 97 metros found the majority of their region’s poor located in the suburbs
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS data
Share of 2013 Poor Population Living in SuburbsUnder 50%
Above 50%
4,129,453
3,560,143
1,655,630
793,369
4,884,981 4,473,073
2,205,355
1,126,139
20002005-09
Suburb Type
Thou
sand
s of p
oor
Poverty has grown beyond dense, inner-ring suburbs
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS and decennial census data
Even as it has spread, poverty has become more concentrated
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS and decennial census data
2000 2008-12
23.3%
32.0%
4.0%
6.3%
Share of Suburban Poor in High Poverty and Distressed Neighborhoods
20 to 40% Poverty Rate Tracts 40% or More Poverty Rate Tracts
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of decennial census and American Community Survey data
Poor residents of color in the suburbs are more likely to live in higher poverty neighborhoods
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS and decennial census data
Share of Suburban Poor in High-Poverty Tracts by Race, 2008-12
All Poor White Poor Black Poor Hispanic Poor
38%
23%
53% 54%
White, non-Hispanic Less than a high school diploma
Own a home Female-headed, with children
24%
36%
20%
50%
44%
30%
36%
43%
Cities Suburbs
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS data
Some differences exist between urban and suburban poor residents
But in many ways, the suburban and urban poor are strikingly similar
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS data
In deep poverty With a disability Under 18 Foreign born At least one worker in family
46%
15%
34%
22%
64%
44%
16%
35%
20%
66%Cities Suburbs
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Population Change Immigration Housing
Job Location Regional Economy
City Suburbs
9%
17%
Cities Suburbs
Population Growth, 2000 to 2013
Population Change
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS and Decennial Census data
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Contribution to Growth in Suburban Poor Population,
2000 to 2013
Foreign-born population
Native-born population
18%
82%Immigration
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of ACS and Decennial Census data
2000 2013
502,615
800,900
Housing Voucher Recipients in Suburbs
Housing
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of HUD “Picture of Subsidized Housing” data
Subprim
e Loan
s
Loan
s in Fo
reclosu
re or L
ost
73% 74%
Share of Loans in Suburbs
Housing
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Source: Chris Shildt, Naomi Cytron, Elizabeth Kneebone and Carolina Reid, “The Subprime Crisis in Suburbia: Exploring the Links between Foreclosures and Suburban Poverty”
2000 2010
40.9%43.1%
Share of Jobs Located 10 to 35 Miles from Downtown
Job Location
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Source: Elizabeth Kneebone, “Job Sprawl Stalls: The Great Recession and Metropolitan Employment Location”
Number of Unemployed in Suburbs
Regional Economy
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Dec. 2007 Dec. 2010
3,116,548
6,193,048
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics LAUS data
Middle-Wage Jobs Low-Wage Jobs
22%
58%
Share of Employment Gains During Recovery
(2010 Q1 to 2012 Q1)
Types of Jobs
Many factors drive suburbanizing poverty
Source: National Employment Law Project, “The Low Wage Recovery and Growing Inequality”
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
Transit Access Strained Local Services
Limited Philanthropic Resources Change in School Populations
Transit Access
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
45 Minute Commute
90 Minute Commute
4%
25%
Share of Jobs Accessible from Suburban Low-Income
Neighborhoods via TransitSource: Tomer et al, “Missed Opportunity”
Transit Access
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
Low-Skill Jobs High-Skill Jobs
22%
29%
Share of Jobs Accessible from Suburban Low-Income
Neighborhoods Within 90 MinutesSource: Tomer et al, “Missed Opportunity”
59% 58%
45% 43%
20%
Share of Suburban Municipalities in Chicago, DC, and LA with Registered
Nonprofit
Strained Local Services
Substance Abuse
Mental Health
Food Assistance
Human Services
Employment Services
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
Source: Allard and Roth, “Strained Suburbs”
Grants Dollars per Poor Person, Chicago Metro Area 2008
Limited Philanthropic Resources
City Suburbs
$68
$2
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
Source: Reckhow and Weir, “Building a Stronger Regional Safety Net”
Percent Change in Number of Students Enrolled in Free and
Reduced Price Lunch, 2005-06 to 2009-10
Change in School Populations
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
City Suburbs
8%
22%
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of Common Core data
Share of students meeting proficiency standards in 2009-10
Access to Quality Schools
Suburban poverty brings added challenges
65%45%
Source: Brookings Institution analysis of Common Core data
Current policies are not aligned to this new geography2
Substance Abuse Treatment
Block Grant; Social Services
Block Grant; Substance
Abuse Prevention Block
Grant; Community Mental
Health Services Block Grant
(MHSBG); Access to
Recovery (ATR)
Social Services
The legacy system of place-based anti-poverty programs developed over decades does not map easily onto the suburban landscape
Child and Adult Care Food
Program; The Emergency
Food Assistance Program
(TEFAP); Summer Food
Service Program; Commodity
Supplemental Food Program;
WIC Farmers’ Market
Nutrition Program (FMNP)
Food Assistance
Job TrainingJob Corps; WIA Dislocated Worker
Employment and Training Activities;
WIA Youth Appropriation; WIA Adult
Program; WIA Dislocated Worker
National Emergency Grants;
YouthBuild; Learn and Serve America:
School and Community Based
Programs; Supported Employment
State Grants; Work Opportunity Tax
Credit; Child Care and Development
Block Grant
Education
Title I — Improving The Academic Achievement Of The
Disadvantaged; Head Start and Early Head Start; Improving
Teacher Quality State Grants; Adult Basic and Literacy Education
State Grants; TRIO: Upward Bound; Gaining Early Awareness and
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP); Teacher
Incentive Fund; TRIO: Student Support Services; College Access
Challenge Grant Program; Mathematics and Science Partnerships;
TRIO:Talent Search; Race to the Top -- Early Learning Challenge;
TRIO: Educational Opportunity Centers; TRIO: Upward Bound
Math Science; Parental Information and Resource Centers;
Advanced Placement Program (Advanced Placement Test Fee;
Advanced Placement Incentive Program Grants); School
Leadership Program; Innovative Approaches to Literacy; Assets
for Independence (AFI); IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA); 21st Century Community Learning Centers; Child Care
Access Means Parents in School Program; Advanced Placement
Incentive Program Grants; Qualified zone academy bonds (QZAB);
Charter Schools Program
HealthConsolidated Health Centers
(Community Health Centers, Migrant
Health Centers, Health Care for the
Homeless, Public Housing Primary
Care, and School Based Health
Centers); Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Grants for Capital Development in
Health Centers; Title V Maternal and
Child Health Services Block Grant
Program; Maternal, Infant, and Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program
Economic Development
New Markets Tax Credit ; Renewal
Community Tax Incentives; Community
Development Financial Institutions Program;
ARRA- Investments for Public Works and
Economic Development Facilities; Recovery
Zone Bonds; ARRA- Economic Adjustment
Assistance; Economic Development: Support
for Planning Organizations; Community
Economic Development; Technical Assistance;
Bank Enterprise Award; Economic
Development: Technical Assistance;
Community Services Block Grant; Community
Services Block Grant: Discretionary Awards
Housing
Emergency Food and Shelter
Program; Tenant-based Rental
Assistance; Sustainable
Communities Regional
Planning Grant Program;
Housing Choice Voucher
(HCV) Family Self-Sufficiency;
Housing Counseling
Assistance
$82 billion10 agencies
81 federal programs
These programs typically address place-based poverty in one of three ways
Service Provision
Neighborhood Improvement
Expanding Choice
Need dispersed geographically
Program stigma/ lack of familiarity
Market failures not neighborhood based
Areas may lack needed locational advantages
Families have already “made it” to suburbs
Opportunities may lie in very different part of region
Suburbs face additional challenges
Lack of Capacity
Inflexible, Unreliable Funding
Extensive Fragmentation
Chicago’s south suburbs encountered these challenges during the housing crisis
Cook County
Chicago’s south suburbs encountered these challenges during the housing crisis
Cook County
19 communities submitted a joint NSP application
Chicago’s south suburbs encountered these challenges during the housing crisis
Cook County
11 municipalities received individual awards
Yet innovators across the country are finding creative ways to navigate this system
HealthConsolidated Health Centers
(Community Health Centers, Migrant
Health Centers, Health Care for the
Homeless, Public Housing Primary
Care, and School Based Health
Centers); Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Grants for Capital Development in
Health Centers; Title V Maternal and
Child Health Services Block Grant
Program; Maternal, Infant, and Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program
Food Assistance
Child and Adult Care Food
Program; The Emergency Food
Assistance Program (TEFAP);
Summer Food Service
Program; Commodity
Supplemental Food Program;
WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program (FMNP)
Housing
Emergency Food and Shelter
Program; Tenant-based Rental
Assistance; Sustainable
Communities Regional
Planning Grant Program;
Housing Choice Voucher
(HCV) Family Self-Sufficiency;
Housing Counseling
Assistance
Job Training
Job Corps; WIA Dislocated Worker
Employment and Training Activities;
WIA Youth Appropriation; WIA Adult
Program; WIA Dislocated Worker
National Emergency Grants;
YouthBuild; Learn and Serve America:
School and Community Based
Programs; Supported Employment
State Grants; Work Opportunity Tax
Credit; Child Care and Development
Block Grant
Title I — Improving The Academic Achievement Of The
Disadvantaged; Head Start and Early Head Start; Improving
Teacher Quality State Grants; Adult Basic and Literacy Education
State Grants; TRIO: Upward Bound; Gaining Early Awareness and
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP); Teacher
Incentive Fund; TRIO: Student Support Services; College Access
Challenge Grant Program; Mathematics and Science Partnerships;
TRIO:Talent Search; Race to the Top -- Early Learning Challenge;
TRIO: Educational Opportunity Centers; TRIO: Upward Bound
Math Science; Parental Information and Resource Centers;
Advanced Placement Program (Advanced Placement Test Fee;
Advanced Placement Incentive Program Grants); School
Leadership Program; Innovative Approaches to Literacy; Assets
for Independence (AFI); IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA); 21st Century Community Learning Centers; Child Care
Access Means Parents in School Program; Advanced Placement
Incentive Program Grants; Qualified zone academy bonds (QZAB);
Charter Schools Program
Education
Economic Development
New Markets Tax Credit ; Renewal
Community Tax Incentives; Community
Development Financial Institutions Program;
ARRA- Investments for Public Works and
Economic Development Facilities; Recovery
Zone Bonds; ARRA- Economic Adjustment
Assistance; Economic Development: Support
for Planning Organizations; Community
Economic Development; Technical Assistance;
Bank Enterprise Award; Economic
Development: Technical Assistance;
Community Services Block Grant; Community
Services Block Grant: Discretionary Awards
Social Services
Substance Abuse Treatment
Block Grant; Social Services
Block Grant; Substance
Abuse Prevention Block
Grant; Community Mental
Health Services Block Grant
(MHSBG); Access to Recovery
(ATR)
Achieve Scale
Neighborhood Centers Inc.• Has an annual budget of more than $275 million,
70 different sites, and a staff of over 1,000• Coordinates resources from 35 federal programs,
state, local, and private sources to provide a seamless continuum of services
• Collaborates with other area providers
Support smart consolidation
Improve systems and networks
Promote high-performance organizations
Collaborate and Integrate
Identify and reduce barriers
Catalyze regional capacity
Reward collaborative approaches
Neighborhood Opportunity Network• A collaboration between the County,
nonprofits, faith based community, and local philanthropy
• Targets high need areas with integrated and culturally competent services
• Builds awareness and community networks through door knocking, Neighbors Exchange, and Neighbor Circles
Fund Strategically• HPN created the REIT with an investment
of $100 million from a range of private and philanthropic investors
• Acquires “naturally affordable” multifamily rental properties for low-income residents without subsidies
• Works with 12 high-performing nonprofits across the country who own, operate, and provide wraparound services at sites
Commit to enterprise-level funding
Promote tools that leverage public & private resources
Develop consistent, comparable data sources
The Housing Partnership Equity Trust
Creating a Metropolitan Opportunity Challenge could help bring these solutions to scale in regions across the country
Federal Place-Based Anti-Poverty Programs
$82 Billion; 81 Programs; 10 Agencies
Re-purpose 5% : $4 billion
www.ConfrontingSuburbanPoverty.org
You can find additional resources and sign up for updates on suburban poverty research and best practices on the book’s website:
The website provides a host of helpful resources:
Profiles of the top 100 metros Case studies of innovators
Tips for taking action Video
Infographic
www.ConfrontingSuburbanPoverty.org
ekneebone@brookings.edu