As discussed in the last blog post, Dallas has an alarming rate of poverty. From 2000 to 2012, the poverty rate has increased by 41%, and 2 out of every five kids grow up poor in Dallas. So this post will discuss why is that happening in a well-known city?
One primary reason for this to happen is the wealth disparity. Many DFW region residents make a lot of money, and Dallas itself has experienced recent economic booms, but this causes a “barbell economy,” leading to some parts of the population earning way less. According to Larry James, who chaired the task force and is the CEO of the social service agency CitySquare, “ it’s not acceptable for a city as full of wealth and opportunity as Dallas to be ranked third or fourth poorest urban center in the United States behind Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia.” But because of this wealth gap, many are left in more impoverished neighborhoods with lower earning jobs.
Another cause of this issue is segregated housing. Many of those living in poverty live in isolated residences as a group, which serves as a barrier to economic mobility. But along with this isolation comes segregated housing. Throughout time, Segregation, reinforced by racist housing policies and other discriminatory actions, remains the most significant barrier to economic mobility, Koprowski, executive director of Opportunity Dallas, says. According to him, “Where we live dictates our opportunities for education and work, it shapes our quality of life, it determines our access to grocery stores and doctors and banks.”According to the Pew Research Center, although Dallas is a diverse city, it’s more segregated than Chicago and LA.
This Segregation, as mentioned before, is a huge barrier. It is a barrier in that it disrupts economic mobility and inhibits the opportunities available to those financially unstable. Below is an opportunity table from the D magazine, which separates Dallas by race, poverty levels, and available options. As seen in the table, it is visible that there is a clear correlation between race and the options they have available to them!
So as seen, the income, wealth, and racial disparities still existing in Dallas serve as a segway to promote poverty and not help the issue.
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