Chasing the American dream : new perspectives on affordable homeownership / edited by William M. Rohe and Harry L. Watson.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Rohe, William M.

Watson, Harry L.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Low-income housing--United States.

Low-income housing.

United States.

Home ownership--United States.

Home ownership.

Physical Description:

viii, 315 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 2007.

Summary:

The shift in emphasis from rental subsidies to affordable homeownership opportunities has been justified in many ways. Claims for the benefits of homeownership have been largely accepted without close scrutiny. But is homeownership always beneficial for low-income Americans, or are its benefits undermined by the difficulties caused by unfavorable mortgage terms and by the poor condition or location of the homes bought? Chasing the American Dream provides a critical assessment of affordable homeownership policies and goals. Its contributors represent a variety of disciplinary perspectives and offer a thorough understanding of the economic, social, political, architectural, and cultural effects of homeownership programs, as well as their history. The editors draw together the assessments included in this book to prescribe a plan of action that lays out what must be done to make homeownership policy both effective and equitable.

Contents:

Introduction : Homeownership in American culture and public policy / William M. Rohe and Harry L. Watson

The ideological origins of affordable homeownership efforts / Lawrence J. Vale

Homeownership for low-income households : a comparison of the Section 235, Nehemiah, and Habitat for Humanity programs / Rachel G. Bratt

Federal policies promoting affordable homeownership : separating the accidental from the strategic / J. Michael Collins

Is housing tenure the new neighborhood dividing line? : the polarizing politics of homeownership / Edward G. Goetz

Affordable housing design for place making and community building / Charles C. Bohl

The use of architectural flexibility for achieving affordability in housing / Avi Friedman

The wealth-creating potential of homeownership : a preliminary assessment of price appreciation among low-income home buyers / Michael A. Stegman, Roberto G. Quercia, and Walter Davis

The financial returns to low-income homeownership / Eric S. Belsky, Nicolas Retsinas, and Mark Duda

The social-psychological effects of affordable homeownership / William M. Rohe, Roberto G. Quercia, and Shannon Van Zandt

Locating the American dream : assessing the neighborhood benefits of homeownership / Carolina Katz Reid

Conclusion : Toward more efficient and equitable homeownership policies / William M. Rohe.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-300) and index.

ISBN:

9780801445538

0801445531

9780801473616

0801473616

OCLC:

76937324