A New Look at the History and Costs of Segregated Housing

Richard Rothstein has a review in the New York Times of HIGH-RISERS: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing,  by Ben Austen. While you may not have time to read the book, you should at least take time to read the review if you care to understand more about issues such as affordable housing, segregation, and the wealth gap.  Rothstein  spoke eloquently at Transy earlier this year about his book, The Color of Law, which provides a broader context for the specific example of Cabrini-Green covered in Austen’s book. Rothstein’s review furthers our understanding of the the negative affects of historic federal housing policies on African-Americans. It provides insights into why we in Lexington, as in communities throughout the country, continue to suffer the ill-effects of these policies. And it provides a clearer frame of reference as we consider policies locally to address these difficult issues.