Many poor and working-class families dream of living in the suburbs, believing their children will have the opportunity to attend better schools, will have access to non-dead-end jobs, and to escape from the looming threat of urban violence. Consequently, their children will have a better chance of being successful in life. However, many suburbanites balk at the prospect of government-subsidized housing in their neighborhoods. They fear that when poor people move next door crime, drugs, blight, bad public schools and higher taxes inevitably follow. They worry that the value of their homes will fall and the image of their town will suffer. Prepare a 2-page paper that addresses the following:
- Does your neighborhood shape who you are? Explain
- Would you be a different person if you grew up someplace else? Explain
- Should suburbs be mandated to rewrite their zoning laws and allow a “fair share” of affordable housing? Why or Why Not?