The Bad, and The Ugly
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/9/8/129897069/published/queensbridge.jpg?1588363901)
The history of affordable housing is obviously not pristine. The United States first recognized the need for housing assistance during the Great Depression. As part of FDR’s New Deal, the National Housing Act of 1934 was passed, creating the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation. It’s goal was to make housing and mortgages more affordable. Three years later in 1937, another Housing Act was passed to build upon the legislation set forth in 1934. It provided subsidies for local public housing agencies to improve living conditions for low income families.
One particular development of note was funded under the Housing Act of 1937. In 1939, New York City opened the Queensbridge Houses (pictured above), which was purposefully made unattractive to the middle class. The complex quickly became synonymous with drug deals and use, as well as gun violence and murder.
Later on in 1949, President Harry Truman built on the Housing Act again as a part of his Fair Deal. The Act provided federal funds for slum clearance, low-rent public housing, and housing research, among other elements. Unfortunately, the legislation ended up destroying more housing than it built. It was criticized for discriminating against minorities, because many of the communities that were torn down were largely African American and Hispanic. Often, they were forced out in favor of market rate housing or even non-residential projects.
Chicago’s infamous Cabrini-Green complex resulted from the Housing Act of 1949. Originally, the complex consisted of two story rowhomes that were completed in 1942. After the legislation passed, a large expansion project began, resulting in an additional fifteen mid- and high-rise buildings that opened in 1957. During the 1950’s, nearby factories began to close, and many of Cabrini-Green’s residents found themselves out of work. The complex quickly fell to poverty and crime, and became frequently cited as an example of the shortcomings of public housing. After several redevelopment efforts throughout the remainder of the century failed, the complex was ultimately demolished in 2011.
Another result of the Housing Act of 1949 was the Pruitt-Igoe development in St. Louis. With federal funding to create public housing, the city constructed 33 buildings, with the initial intention of segregation, in accordance with Missouri law at the time. However, after the 1954 Brown v. The Board of Education verdict, the complex desegregated. With the passing of the 1956 Federal Aid Highway Act, many white residents took flight in favor of the suburbs. The complex’s 1957 occupancy rate of 91% quickly and steadily fell as drug dealing, gang violence, prostitution, and murder grew. By 1971, the rate dropped below 35% as buildings failed. Shortly after in 1972, the complex was demolished.
African Americans continued to fight for equal rights into the 1960's, however even though legislation through the 1964 and ‘68 Civil Rights Acts and the 1968 Fair Housing Act promoted equal opportunity housing, they were still met with racist lending practices and segregated communities. In 1965, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was created to bring issues of public housing, urban renewal and slum clearance to a cabinet level. In 1968, the Housing and Urban Development Act was created to rehabilitate 26 million housing units, 6 million of which were earmarked for low- and moderate-income families over 10 years.
While the 1968 Act was ultimately unsuccessful in achieving its 10-year goal due to a moratorium on housing subsidies enacted by Richard Nixon in 1973, it did mark a turning point in the history of public housing. It discouraged large high rise towers and upheld higher architectural standards for low-income projects. It also expanded on the different avenues in which government-funded housing could be realised. In addition to traditional public funding, private developers could assume the responsibility for finance and construction, along with acquisition and leasing methods. Over the course of four years, it created 340,000 new units under the purview of the newly created HUD.
It wasn’t until 1974 with the passage of the Housing and Community Development Act that the moratorium was lifted. This legislation granted more authority to local jurisdictions to create subsidized housing units, in addition to creating the Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) program. This program is specially designed to be flexible and help fund a variety of projects depending on the specific needs of a community.
Perhaps most notably, the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 also amended the Housing Act of 1937 to create the Section 8 Housing Program which authorizes payments of rental housing assistance to private landlords to offer housing to low-income families. The payment can also be “tenant based,” and received directly by the household as a voucher to be used towards their housing costs.
One particular development of note was funded under the Housing Act of 1937. In 1939, New York City opened the Queensbridge Houses (pictured above), which was purposefully made unattractive to the middle class. The complex quickly became synonymous with drug deals and use, as well as gun violence and murder.
Later on in 1949, President Harry Truman built on the Housing Act again as a part of his Fair Deal. The Act provided federal funds for slum clearance, low-rent public housing, and housing research, among other elements. Unfortunately, the legislation ended up destroying more housing than it built. It was criticized for discriminating against minorities, because many of the communities that were torn down were largely African American and Hispanic. Often, they were forced out in favor of market rate housing or even non-residential projects.
Chicago’s infamous Cabrini-Green complex resulted from the Housing Act of 1949. Originally, the complex consisted of two story rowhomes that were completed in 1942. After the legislation passed, a large expansion project began, resulting in an additional fifteen mid- and high-rise buildings that opened in 1957. During the 1950’s, nearby factories began to close, and many of Cabrini-Green’s residents found themselves out of work. The complex quickly fell to poverty and crime, and became frequently cited as an example of the shortcomings of public housing. After several redevelopment efforts throughout the remainder of the century failed, the complex was ultimately demolished in 2011.
Another result of the Housing Act of 1949 was the Pruitt-Igoe development in St. Louis. With federal funding to create public housing, the city constructed 33 buildings, with the initial intention of segregation, in accordance with Missouri law at the time. However, after the 1954 Brown v. The Board of Education verdict, the complex desegregated. With the passing of the 1956 Federal Aid Highway Act, many white residents took flight in favor of the suburbs. The complex’s 1957 occupancy rate of 91% quickly and steadily fell as drug dealing, gang violence, prostitution, and murder grew. By 1971, the rate dropped below 35% as buildings failed. Shortly after in 1972, the complex was demolished.
African Americans continued to fight for equal rights into the 1960's, however even though legislation through the 1964 and ‘68 Civil Rights Acts and the 1968 Fair Housing Act promoted equal opportunity housing, they were still met with racist lending practices and segregated communities. In 1965, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was created to bring issues of public housing, urban renewal and slum clearance to a cabinet level. In 1968, the Housing and Urban Development Act was created to rehabilitate 26 million housing units, 6 million of which were earmarked for low- and moderate-income families over 10 years.
While the 1968 Act was ultimately unsuccessful in achieving its 10-year goal due to a moratorium on housing subsidies enacted by Richard Nixon in 1973, it did mark a turning point in the history of public housing. It discouraged large high rise towers and upheld higher architectural standards for low-income projects. It also expanded on the different avenues in which government-funded housing could be realised. In addition to traditional public funding, private developers could assume the responsibility for finance and construction, along with acquisition and leasing methods. Over the course of four years, it created 340,000 new units under the purview of the newly created HUD.
It wasn’t until 1974 with the passage of the Housing and Community Development Act that the moratorium was lifted. This legislation granted more authority to local jurisdictions to create subsidized housing units, in addition to creating the Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) program. This program is specially designed to be flexible and help fund a variety of projects depending on the specific needs of a community.
Perhaps most notably, the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 also amended the Housing Act of 1937 to create the Section 8 Housing Program which authorizes payments of rental housing assistance to private landlords to offer housing to low-income families. The payment can also be “tenant based,” and received directly by the household as a voucher to be used towards their housing costs.
Pictured: (top) The Queensbridge Homes in New York City. (left) Cabrini Green in Chicago. (right) Pruitt-Igoe in St. Louis.