Institutional Racism

VII. Residential Segregation
in The U.S.
Residential Segregation in the United States is the physical separation of two or more
groups into different neighborhoods, or a form of segregation that "sorts population
groups into various neighborhood contexts and shapes the living environment at the
neighborhood level". While it has traditionally been associated with racial segregation, it
generally refers to any kind of sorting based on some criteria populations (e.g. race,
ethnicity, income).
While overt segregation is illegal in the United States, housing patterns show significant
and persistent segregation for certain races and income groups. The history of
American social and public policies, like Jim Crow laws and Federal Housing
Administration's early redlining policies, set the tone for segregation in housing. Trends
in residential segregation are attributed to sub-urbanization, discrimination, and
personal preferences. Residential segregation produces negative socioeconomic
outcomes for minority groups. Public policies for housing attempt to promote integration
and mitigate these negative effects.
History
Race based residential segregation in American cities dates from the rapid urbanization
which occurred in the last years of the 19th and the first years of the 20th century. Prior
to that time, the African-Americans who lived in cities lived in scattered locations.
Development of segregated residential neighborhoods was associated with massive
influxes of European immigrants and African-Americans. These groups had limited
funds and job opportunities and ended up clustered in neighborhoods with poor
housing. These neighborhoods were characterized by social unrest and diseases such
as typhoid and tuberculosis. Progressive social reformers attempted to ameliorate these
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