Sandra L. Barnes
Purdue University

Individuals who live in poor urban neighborhoods are often characterized in monolithic ways that understate diverse responses to poverty. Using the Urban Poverty and Family Life Survey of Chicago and bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis techniques, this study examines the degree to which neighborhood poverty constraints, household economics, and demographic variables influence positive homeownership attitudes, homeownership behavior, and neighborhood ties. It documents the presence of attitudes and behavior associated with the middle class as well as social affiliations. The findings demonstrate the greater importance of household economic conditions over neighborhood effects. Results also show that some respondents have attitudes, behavior, and, to a lesser extent, neighborhood ties similar to those found in the larger society. This evidence of continuing diversity among residents of poor urban neighborhoods suggests the need for policies more specifically tailored to the existing strengths of these neighborhoods.

Positive Homeownership Attitudes, Homeownership Behavior, and Neighborhood Ties in Poor Urban Neighborhoods