Housing and Community Development

Abstract

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:This course will introduce students to U.S. housing policy with a special emphasis on three substantive policy areas -affordability, social outcomes, and the creation of diverse communities.Students will learn about the symbolic significance of owning a home, the importance of homeownership for wealth accumulation, the history of providing housing for the poor, and the difficulties in setting housing policy across multiple scales (individual, neighborhood, city, region).The course will use both theoretical and empirical scholarship to explore the spatial and social segmentation of the U.S. housing market through topics such as segregation, gentrification, and the privatization of public space.In the process, students will gain a greater appreciation for the social, economic and political structures of American society, the successes and failures of U.S. housing policies, and the link between housing policy and community development.The class will include a critical assessment of the role of housing in the U.S. economy and provide possible policy solutions to creating inclusive communities through housing policy. PREREQUISITES:While this course has no formal prerequisites, it will draw on basic sociological concepts and means of presenting quantitative and qualitative information.Sociology majors should already have the required background from the following courses: SOC 105 Introduction to Sociology, SOC 232 Methods and Techniques of Sociological Research, and SOC 237 Foundations of Sociological Theory.Without these foundational courses, you will have difficulty with readings, lectures, and written assignments.

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