African Americans In Public Housing
Together with the decline in public housing went a rise in the percentage of poor African
Americans in public housing. In some cities, it rises at eighty percent or more.17 The more this happens, the more others abandon public housing – physically, by moving, and politically, by rejecting it. As a general rule, the government follows the will of the majority. And the will of the majority is that public housing stay put. Public housing, then, is a program that cannot, will not, and does not accommodate non-middle class interests.
Moreau 5
To make matters worse, the government will seek the line of least financial resistance. Costly housing programs mean taxes, and taxes are unpopular (or they mean dropping genuinely popular programs). Direct expenditures on housing for the poor are not as appealing as expenditures which …show more content…
Consequently, the history of government and slum housing is a tale of attempts at force.
The first slum control laws were tenement house laws. The first notable tenement house law was passed in New York in 1867.18 Modern building codes, essentially, are products of tenement
Americans in public housing. In some cities, it rises at eighty percent or more.17 The more this happens, the more others abandon public housing – physically, by moving, and politically, by rejecting it. As a general rule, the government follows the will of the majority. And the will of the majority is that public housing stay put. Public housing, then, is a program that cannot, will not, and does not accommodate non-middle class interests.
Moreau 5
To make matters worse, the government will seek the line of least financial resistance. Costly housing programs mean taxes, and taxes are unpopular (or they mean dropping genuinely popular programs). Direct expenditures on housing for the poor are not as appealing as expenditures which …show more content…
Consequently, the history of government and slum housing is a tale of attempts at force.
The first slum control laws were tenement house laws. The first notable tenement house law was passed in New York in 1867.18 Modern building codes, essentially, are products of tenement