Examining the Relationship between Housing, Education, and Persistent Segregation

As the first stage of a study of segregation in housing and education in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul (Minnesota), a review was conducted of national and local reports on the current status of housing and education segregation in the United States and the Twin Cities. A later phase of the project will analyze policy options available to improve housing and education in both cities. A review of national conditions shows that economic and racial segregation persists in the United States. Location of one's residence affects access to many opportunities, including good schools. The Twin Cities area shares many of the problems of other metropolitan areas, where educational and residential problems abound for minorities and the poor. Several policy options have been implemented to address these problems, but the results are mixed. Enhancing economic and housing opportunities of racial minorities and the poor requires suburban acceptance, support, and cooperation in treating inner-city poverty and racial segregation as problems of the entire area rather than the urban core alone. An appendix contains maps of the Twin Cities and its metropolitan area. (Contains 299 footnotes, 3 tables and 13 maps.) (SLD)