Predicting the Growth and Filtering of At-risk Housing: Structure Ageing, Poverty and Redlining

Abstract

Using canonical regression analysis, the paper examines the associations between housing conditions, race, poverty and vintage structure age in Cleveland, Ohio's east and west sides. It is found that African-Americans are concentrated in the oldest at-risk housing stocks on Cleveland's east side, but chronic poverty rather than quality deficiency is most associated with their presence. On the west side, the oldest housing stock is experiencing the most deterioration, but a linkage between race and at-risk vintage units is not established; rather, chronic poverty is directly associated with age depreciation. Lastly, in examining the effects of housing conditions, race and mortgage lending, it is found that credit access has little to do with race; rather, housing conditions and the age-depreciation process most affect credit receipt and operate independently of race.