Subsidized Housing and School Segregation - Examining the Relationship between Federally Subsidized Affordable Housing and Racial and Economic Isolation in Schools

Oct 15, 2026

Each year, the federal government provides billions of dollars in support for low-income families in their acquisition of housing. This analysis examines how subsidized housing programs—including public housing and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded developments—relate to school segregation patterns for children. Using GIS, the study analyzes the spatial relationship between subsidized housing locations and district/school attendance boundaries in four Texas counties. Results show these developments are zoned to racially and economically isolated schools and are linked to especially high economic and racial isolation for Black and Latinx students, informing housing and education policy implications.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages37

Reading Time1 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Housing programs and school segregation

GIS-based spatial analysis in Texas counties

Findings on racial and economic isolation

Policy implications

education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University Volume 28 Number 169 November 9, 2020 ISSN 1068-2341 Subsidized Housing and School Segregation: Examining the Relationship between Federally Subsidized Affordable Housing and Racial and Economic Isolation in Schools Jennifer Jellison Holme The University of Texas at Austin Erica Frankenberg Pennsylvania State University Joanna Sanchez Excelencia in Education Kendra Taylor & Sarah De La Garza Michelle Kennedy The University of Texas at Austin United States Citation: Holme, J. J., Frankenberg, E., Sanchez, J. D., Taylor, K., De La Garza, S., & Kennedy, M.(2020) . Subsidized housing and school segregation: Examining the relationship between federally subsidized affordable housing and racial and economic isolation in schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 28(169). [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.5290](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.5290) Abstract: Each year, the federal government provides billions of dollars in support for low-income families in their acquisition of housing. In this analysis, we examine how several of these subsidized housing programs, public housing and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financed housing, relate to patterns of school segregation for children. We use GIS to examine the location of subsidized housing vis-à-vis district boundaries and school attendance boundaries in four Texas counties. We then examine patterns of segregation between schools with and without subsidized housing in their attendance zones, as well as the extent of economic and racial isolation experienced by students in those schools. Our results illustrate that public housing and LIHTC housing developments are zoned to racially and economically isolated schools, and that developments are associated with especially high levels of economic and racial isolation for Black and Latinx students. We conclude by discussing implications for housing and education policy to ameliorate these patterns. Keywords: segregation; education policy; educational equity; Geographic Information Systems Vivienda subvencionada y segregación escolar: Examen de la relación entre la vivienda subvencionada por el gobierno federal y el aislamiento racial y económicoen las escuelas Resumen: Cada año, el gobierno federal proporciona miles de millones de dólares enapoyo a familias de bajos ingresos en la adquisición de viviendas. En este análisis, examinamos cómo varios de estos programas de vivienda subsidiada, vivienda pública yvivienda financiada con Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) se relacionan con patrones de segregación escolar para niños. Usamos GIS para examinar la ubicación de las viviendas subsidiadas con respecto a los límites del distrito y los límites de asistencia escolar en cuatro condados de Texas. Luego examinamos los patrones de segregaciónentre escuelas con y sin vivienda subsidiada en sus zonas de asistencia, así como el gradode aislamiento económico y racial experimentado por los estudiantes en esas escuelas. Nuestros resultados ilustran que los desarrollos de vivienda pública y LIHTC estándivididos en zonas para escuelas aisladas racial y económicamente, y que los desarrollos están asociados con niveles especialmente altos de aislamiento económico y racial para estudiantes negros y latinos. Concluimos discutiendo las implicaciones para la política de vivienda y educación para mejorar estos patrones. Palabras-clave: segregación; política educativa; equidad educativa; sistemas de información geográfica Habitação subsidiada e segregação escolar: Examinando a relação entre habitação subsidiada pelo governo federal e o isolamento racial e econômico nas escolas Resumo: A cada ano, o governo federal fornece bilhões de dólares para apoiar famílias debaixa renda na compra de casas. Nesta análise, examinamos como vários desses programaspor habitação subsidiada, habita

FAQs

What housing programs does the study analyze in relation to school segregation?

The study examines public housing and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financed housing developments and their connections to school segregation patterns.

How does the research investigate the relationship between subsidized housing and schools?

It uses GIS to examine subsidized housing locations relative to district boundaries and school attendance boundaries in four Texas counties.

What are the main findings about racial and economic isolation in schools?

The results show public housing and LIHTC developments are zoned to racially and economically isolated schools, with especially high levels of isolation for Black and Latinx students.

Oct 15, 2026

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