Building One Ohio: History, Challenges, & Opportunity for Ohio’s Suburbs

john a. powellDirector,Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive SocietyOctober 24, 2012

History of Post-War Suburbs• Suburbs date back to the earlier

part of the 20th century. However, the post World War II period of suburban growth produced a dramatic reshaping of our metropolitan landscape.

• Historically, our nation’s suburbs have been defined by their homogeneity (e.g., physical form, demographics).

• Suburbia fused ethnic identities into a new “whiteness” as suburban residents and developers produced a pattern of segregation which was repeated across the U.S. and reinforced by various forms of de jure and de facto discrimination.

Role of the Government:Role of the Government:School PolicySchool Policy

• Progress in desegregation came after the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and following a series of Supreme Court decisions (e.g., authorizing busing).

• But have been re-segregating gradually over two decades▫ Supreme Court decisions limiting desegregation (early 1990’s and 2007)

▫ The country’s growing Latino and black student populations are more segregated now than the 1960’s.

▫ Segregation today segregates by Race Class Education Quality (measured in teachers, curriculum, test scores, grad rates) Opportunity

Role of the Federal Government:Suburbanization and Homeownership

• A series of mutually reinforcing federal policies across multiple domains have contributed to the disparities we see today▫ GI Bill, Urban Renewal, Highway

Construction

• Emergence of discriminatory policies ▫ Racial Covenants▫ Racial Steering▫ Redlining & Mortgage Lending▫ Housing Discrimination

• Housing as a marginalizing tool

• Suburbs become bastion of opportunity at the expense of cities

A Shift Has Been Occurring…

The growth of diversity in our suburbs should be celebrated The growth of diversity in our suburbs should be celebrated and does represent progress, but this progress should be and does represent progress, but this progress should be viewed with caution, and from a historical perspective.viewed with caution, and from a historical perspective.

Common Characteristics of First Suburbs• Aging infrastructure and housing stock• Aging population• High public service costs• Stressed tax bases• Growing poverty

•Willowick

Median Family income as % of region. Highlights Indicates When Towns “Peaked"Median Family income as % of region. Highlights Indicates When Towns “Peaked"

Changes resulting in integration?• “…it appears that the movement to the suburbs

may not be true integration, but may actually represent the movement of concentrated racial populations into suburban areas” (Weizel, 2010)

• While suburban diversity is growing, residential segregation has only slightly declined for many racial groups.

• School segregation, along the lines of both race and class has actually increased in recent years (Bordas, 2006)

“. . . you can't have a truly sustainable community if you promote segregated developmentpatterns and concentrated poverty.”

–HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan at the 9th Annual “New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities” Conference, Feb. 4, 2010 (prepared remarks)

Looking for Opportunity?• Evidence suggests that the people of color who are moving into our

nation’s suburbs are not necessarily making moves into areas where opportunity is rising

OpportunityOpportunity is unevenis uneven

o Structures and policies are not neutral. They unevenly distribute benefits and burdens.

o Institutions can operate jointly to produce racialized outcomes.

o This institutional uneven distribution & racial marking has negative consequences for all of us.

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How do we seize this critical urban-How do we seize this critical urban-suburban moment?suburban moment?

• Growing a sustainable city for ALL through real integration in suburb communities, schools, and public spaces.

Supporting and Imagining New Models

•Understanding these changing conditions•Learning from historic urban-suburban

trends•Refining our policies and approaches for

new realities•Opening and establishing pathways to

opportunity for all

Space and Opportunity

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Opportunity Matters: Space, Place, and Life Outcomes

• “Opportunity” is a situation or condition that places individuals in a position to be more likely to succeed or excel.

• Opportunity structures are critical to opening pathways to success:▫ High-quality education▫ Healthy and safe environment▫ Stable housing▫ Sustainable employment▫ Political empowerment▫ Outlets for wealth-building▫ Positive social networks

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• Opportunity structures are the web of influences Opportunity structures are the web of influences beyond our control that enhance and constrain our beyond our control that enhance and constrain our ability to succeed and excel. ability to succeed and excel.

• Life chances are shaped by Life chances are shaped by opportunity structuresopportunity structures, , and those structures are often just as important, if and those structures are often just as important, if not more so, than the choices that individuals not more so, than the choices that individuals make. make.

Opportunity StructuresOpportunity Structures

Education Economic

Housing

Transportation

Healthcare Justice

Food

Communications

Suburban communities can improve Suburban communities can improve structure opportunities for all structure opportunities for all andand improve life chances for all.improve life chances for all.

The Plan:The Plan:

1)1) Create a Framework: Targeted Create a Framework: Targeted UniversalismUniversalism

2)2) Empower the marginalEmpower the marginal

3)3) Include Include All All in the Circle of Human in the Circle of Human ConcernConcern

4)4) Incentivize Those with More Resources to Incentivize Those with More Resources to stay & sharestay & share

•Define shared, universal goals for all • e.g., economically viable, healthy, and educated individuals and communities.

•Identify specific obstacles in particular geographies that limit certain groups from reaching these universal goals

1.1. Create a Framework:Create a Framework:Targeted UniversalismTargeted Universalism

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Universal Programs

Targeted Programs

Targeted Universalism

A Model Where We Embrace A Model Where We Embrace Collective, Yet Differentiated Collective, Yet Differentiated SolutionsSolutions

This Vision Requires This Vision Requires Collective Action and Will Collective Action and Will Require Coalitions to be Require Coalitions to be SuccessfulSuccessful

A model Where We All A model Where We All Grow TogetherGrow Together

Considering Structural Inequality

•When purportedly neutral strategies or programs and policies are overlaid on already unequal practices, norms, and institutional arrangements, it is likely to not only leave such arrangements undisturbed, but perpetuate and exacerbate them

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Our Linked Fates & Shared Our Linked Fates & Shared FuturesFutures

•Our fates are linked, yet they have been socially constructed as disconnected

•Consider the social costs of failure and shared rewards of success in the future for all

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2. Empower the marginal2. Empower the marginal•How will you ensure that all communities benefit and not just some?

•Create participatory planning and implementation processes to include critical stakeholders from each sector and at all levels

•Equalize power around the table by including grassroots/neighborhood groups in the development and implementation of the economic growth plan

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The Grassroots

•Empower the grassroots by funding neighborhood groups and other organizations to work with interdisciplinary technical specialists & planners

•Reach out to all over reach to the margins

•Build capacity so marginal and effective participate

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3. Include 3. Include All All in the in the Circle of Human Concern Circle of Human Concern

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•Protect all, especially the most vulnerable, from social & economic exclusion

•For example, if low-income individuals and families are moved to more stable neighborhoods, interventions must also target biases by those in new their communities

•Ensure groups are protected now and in the future wherever they may be geographically located (low density/opportunity or high density/opportunity neighborhoods)

Citizens

Non-public/non-private Space

Elderly

MothersChildren

Felons

Undocumented

The Circle of Human Concern

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4. Incentivize Those with More 4. Incentivize Those with More Resources to stay & shareResources to stay & share

•Individuals, communities, and corporations with more resources need to work to ensure that the benefits and successes are shared among all▫Give them a reasonable reason to stay ▫Incentive policies and programs can be

created to benefit them while at the same time ensuring they are committed to economic growth for all

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Social, Political & Economic Context

• Different social climates require different solutions

• Recommendations for Ohio’s future require sensitivity to the socio-cultural & political- economic context and to the limitations that context imposes

• Funding decisions must mirror this sensitivity to ensure that past commitments and future plans incorporate everyone

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Why Everyone ShouldCare About Equity & Inclusion?

•Why should those who are not marginalized care about equity and inclusion challenges?

•“Large inequalities in societies damage the social fabric and quality of life for everyone”

Build One Ohio, an Equitable Build One Ohio, an Equitable and Inclusive Community, With and Inclusive Community, With Coalitions Coalitions

• Successful coalitions can unite disparate groups Successful coalitions can unite disparate groups around a common agendaaround a common agenda

• Need diverse coalitions with respect to race, Need diverse coalitions with respect to race, class, gender, politics, interest, faith, and class, gender, politics, interest, faith, and geographygeography

• Coalitions understand the interconnection Coalitions understand the interconnection between social disparities and the city’s between social disparities and the city’s economic healtheconomic health

Potential for City-Suburban CoalitionsPotential for City-Suburban Coalitions

•With “the declining political power of cities in With “the declining political power of cities in state legislatures,” there is a “need for state legislatures,” there is a “need for new new coalitional strategies and partnerscoalitional strategies and partners””

•Coalition building should precede selection of, Coalition building should precede selection of, impactful but not internally divisive, specific impactful but not internally divisive, specific issues or initiativesissues or initiatives

•These coalitions require innovative and These coalitions require innovative and visionary leadershipvisionary leadership

Source: Weir, Wolman, & Swanstrom, 2005Source: Weir, Wolman, & Swanstrom, 2005

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