The United States continues to evolve as a divided collection of states, divided by class and race. Despite public policy, legislation and even social unrest, the cycle continues to roll over those disenfranchised populations. This essay is a reflection of the Los Angeles poverty trap, yet applicable to the perpetual poverty faces by blacks and…

Describes the concentration of poor and minority populations in public housing in the United States, and examines the relationship between the location of public housing and changes in neighborhood poverty rates through a longitudinal database for four large U.S. cities. In each city, a significant relationship can be traced. (SLD)