Places in need : the changing geography of poverty / Scott W. Allard.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Allard, Scott W., author.

Contributor:

Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

JSTOR (Online Service)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Poverty--United States.

Poverty.

Population geography.

United States.

Population geography--United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxii, 300 pages)

polychrome

Place of Publication:

New York : Russell Sage Foundation, [2017]

System Details:

text file

Summary:

Americans think of suburbs as prosperous areas that are relatively free from poverty and unemployment. Yet, today more poor people live in the suburbs than in cities themselves. In Places in Need, social policy expert Scott W. Allard tracks how the number of poor people living in suburbs has more than doubled over the last 25 years, with little attention from either academics or policymakers. Rising suburban poverty has not coincided with a decrease in urban poverty, meaning that solutions for reducing poverty must work in both cities and suburbs. Allard notes that because the suburban social safety net is less-developed than the urban safety net, a better understanding of suburban communities is critical for understanding and alleviating poverty in metropolitan areas. Using census data, administrative data from safety net programs, and interviews with nonprofit leaders in the Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas, Allard shows that poor suburban households resemble their urban counterparts in terms of labor force participation, family structure, and educational attainment. In the last few decades, suburbs have seen increases in single-parent households, decreases in the number of college graduates, and higher unemployment rates. As a result, suburban demand for safety net assistance has increased. Concerning is evidence suburban social service providers---which serve clients spread out over large geographical areas, and often lack the political and philanthropic support that urban nonprofit organizations can command--do not have sufficient resources to meet the demand. To strengthen local safety nets, Allard argues for expanding funding and eligibility to federal programs such as SNAP and the Earned Income Tax Credit, which have proven effective in urban and suburban communities alike. He also proposes to increase the capabilities of community-based service providers through a mix of new funding and capacity-building efforts. Places in Need demonstrates why researchers, policymakers, and nonprofit leaders should focus more on the shared fate of poor urban and suburban communities. This account of suburban vulnerability amidst persistent urban poverty provides a valuable foundation for developing more effective antipoverty strategies.

Contents:

Introduction

(Re)considering poverty and place in the U.S

The changing geography of poverty in the U.S

The local safety net response

Understanding metropolitan social service safety nets

Rethinking poverty, rethinking policy.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Electronic reproduction. New York Available via World Wide Web.

Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on September 28, 2017).

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Other Format:

Print version: Allard, Scott W., author. Places in need

ISBN:

9781610448659

1610448650

Publisher Number:

99976886571

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.