Date of Award

Spring 8-1-2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography, Geology, and Anthropology

First Advisor

Brian Ceh

Second Advisor

Kathleen Heath

Third Advisor

Nancy J. Obermeyer

Abstract

The inception of HOPE VI in 1992 was proposed as a solution to concentrated poverty and disinvestment in inner city neighborhoods. The US General Accounting Office estimates that as of November 2003, approximately 49,000 people have been forced to relocate to permanent or temporary residences since the nationwide implementation of HOPE VI. Today, the effects of HOPE VI on the urban poor of Chicago have received little attention. This research examines the dislocation of urban poor and possible gentrification in Chicago's public housing areas, and the socioeconomic condition of new destinations for voucher movers. 111 Twenty public housing tracts and 117 new destination tracts for the city of Chicago were sampled. Public housing tracts were identified by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. New destinations were designated based on relocation data provided by the Chicago Housing Authority and the overall percentage of assisted households. Analysis was conducted using 1990 and 2000 US census data. Displacement among urban poor escalated and processes of gentrification were activated during the 1990s. Displacement was limited to assisted households, impoverished families and children. The gentrification process increased condominium construction, education levels and employment opportunities, and adjusted median household income. Many voucher movers relocated to census tracts with less poverty, but with equal minority populations. These movers have possibilities of gaining socio-economically. Some movers, however, relocate to tracts that are not better socio-economically and will therefore face the greatest challenges in attempting to escape the cycle of poverty. This research does not provide an explanation for the causes behind gentrification in Chicago's public housing tracts. Instead, the effects that are often created by the gentrification process were examined. Further research needs to examine production and consumption based theories of gentrification to help explain the socio-economic change in Chicago's public housing tracts.

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