Service Learning - Cody Clark Abstract

The purpose of my paper is to discover and explain why the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority decided to buy public housing units in Mt. Lookout, why they paid a large sum to do so, what the effects of public housing units are on receiving neighborhoods, and why the residents of Mt. Lookout are against public housing in their community.

            I feel that this topic is important because public housing has become a more popular option for many families in this economic downturn. With the decline of the economy, reliance on the government has become the only means of a decent living for many people and as more people flood these public housing programs, they are going to have to expand and purchase more housing, creating more conflicts around the country similar to the one occurring now in Mt. Lookout. I think it’s important to look at and understand these issues before they become a problem

            I intend to start with a brief history of Mt. Lookout, show that they are a rather upscale neighborhood where you would not expect to find public housing. Then I’m going to transition into a discourse on the CMHA, their policies, and their governing body, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Next I plan to spend the bulk of my paper talking about the effect of dispersing public housing on the receiving communities, discussing phenomena like white flight, and comparing studies that show the effects on housing prices, crime, etc. Finally I’m going to end with firsthand accounts about why the residents of Mt. Lookout are so upset with the addition of public housing to their neighborhood.

Go to Essay

Go Back