How Housing Perpetuates the Cycle of Poverty
People with low income have a very limited range to choose from when it comes to housing. Living in a "nice neighborhood", one with good quality homes/apartments, low crime rate, well maintained infrastructure is generally out of question for those in poverty because the cost of living their would be simply to high for them to afford.
Living in the inner city provides the best alternative for many of those in poverty. Housing can be found at an affordable rate. The city's public transportation system allows one not to need a car, which is the second biggest expense most people have next to their homes. The affordability and practicality can come with a price however. The crime rate is a lot higher in the city than it is in the suburbs or in rural areas. According to victomsofcrime.org The number of violent crimes per 100,000 people in non-metropolitan areas is 195.1, while the number in metropolitan areas is 428.3, as well as being just shy of 400 in the suburbs of metropolitan areas. This means someone is over 45% more likely to be the victim of a violent crime (assault, kidnapping, murder, rape, robbery,) living in a large city than they are in rural areas or in smaller city suburbs(VOC). |
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http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/12/27/Americas-Best-Kept-Secret-Rising-Suburban-Poverty Pollution is also a large problem in poorer urban areas. Due to the high concentration of people producing garbage, vehicles expelling fumes, and the waste product of factories and industrial plants all in one area, the environment in cities, particularly the poor parts, can be less than sanitary. Most of the public school systems funding comes from property taxes. since inner city housing is cheap the tax on those properties does not amount to much. This creates underfunded public schools. |