John Robinson (Princeton University)

From Dual to Dissonant: The Changing Shape of Affordable Housing in Suburban Chicago

In recent decades, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) has drawn a substantial amount of investment from banks and corporations into affordable rental housing. One result is that, in the Chicago region, LIHTC developments are sited widely beyond urban areas throughout a variety of suburbs, and especially in whiter areas. This pattern diverges from the history of low-income housing policy as well as from the legacy of what sociologists call "the dual housing market." What explains it? Using a mix of data from 100+ interviews supplemented by quantitative and geospatial sources, this paper explains how and why developers are reshaping the geography of affordable housing in suburban Chicago. Toward this end, the paper identifies key mechanisms driving this process and highlights implications for inequality.