Glowing Homeless

The homeless are invisible and we try to make sure to avoid homeless individuals when we encounter them on the streets. New art work attempts to pull us out of our willful ignorance and force us to see and think about the homeless:

Thus Allié brought an object into being that represents the thousands of homeless that face social exclusion and the troubles of street life every day and night

Richmond Fed on Inequality in the U.S.

This past March Regional Economist R. Andrew Bauer presented on behalf of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond at the Greater Baltimore Committee LEADERship Program.  The presentation was titled “A Look at Inequality in the United States.”  Bauer presented findings showing that income inequality is a longstanding and continuing problem in the United States.

Neighborhoods matter when raising children

Where you live makes all the difference. This is especially true when it comes to children. In a recent article examining the results of new census information, the National Low Income Housing Coalition revealed an alarming increase in the number of children living in high poverty, low opportunity areas. The findings were highlighted in the Annie B. Casey Foundation’s 2012 Kids Count Data Snapshot, which relied on census data from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey.

The new data revealed a steady uphill trend where children are increasingly likely to live in high-poverty areas. In 2000, approximately 9% of children lived in high poverty areas. Between 2006 and 2010, that percentage rose to 11% – an increase of about 1.6 million children. This is after a steady decline of children living in high poverty areas between 1990 and 2000.

Neighborhoods of Opportunity vs. Concentrated Poverty

Poverty is closely linked to housing, not just because of the high cost, but because where you live makes all the difference. Living in a neighborhood of opportunity means having access to resources that help build a better life. Examples include things like good schools, good jobs, transportation, and resources such as libraries and parks. Everyone wants to live and raise their families in such neighborhoods. Unfortunately, many low income Virginians grow up in neighborhoods of poverty: neighborhoods without good schools, few jobs, little to no public resources and probably a substantial criminal presence in the area. Families trying to break out of the cycle of poverty already have the deck stacked against them. That’s why reducing poverty means increasing neighborhoods of opportunity and decreasing concentrations of poverty. Below is my summary and discussion of a report entitled “The Re-Emergence of Concentrated Poverty” from the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings.

Housing problems = more demand on Legal Aid

Va Legal Aid Society is one of the many similar organizations across the Commonwealth

As the housing crisis continues, low income Virginians depend on Legal Aid services to help them get through wrongful foreclosures, loan modification scams, predatory lenders etc. Unfortunately, Legal Aids in Virginia have seen their revenues take a hit just as demand on their services is peaking. Housing counselors often refer complicated cases involving foreclosure fraud or illegal predatory lending to Legal Aid lawyers. For most Virginians, Legal Aid is the only option to access the justice system in this bad economy. Legislation at the 2012 General Assembly in Richmond could help bring in more revenue, but it has some interesting opposition.

Where You Live Makes All The Difference (Poor Black Kid or Not)

Many weeks ago, Forbes published an article by Gene Mark called “If I Were a Poor Black Kid”.  From The Huffington Post to TheRoot.com, the piece immediately drew criticism for being overly simplistic.  Bloggers and journalists alike pointed out the author’s ignorance of issues of poverty, class , and systems of privilege.  While I see the problematic aspects of Gene Mark’s advice, I think everyone should have access to resources so they can follow Mark’s advice, regardless of income level. Virginia must knock down barriers for families living in neighborhoods of poverty so they can embrace this advice.

NEW RESEARCH: 2011 Virginia Housing Snapshot

Every year HOME’s Center for Housing Leadership releases the Virginia Housing Snapshot. Authored by Brian Koziol, HOME’s Housing Policy & Research Analyst, the Snapshot is a compilation of important housing data from across the Commonwealth measuring affordability, home ownership, income, mortgage lending, foreclosures and housing discrimination.

Below are some important highlights from HOME’s 2011 Virginia Housing Snapshot: