Member-only story

The Geography of Opportunity: Unlocking the Hidden Potential in America's Communities

Gilbert Cox

·8.2k Followers· Follow

Published in The Geography Of Opportunity: Race And Housing Choice In Metropolitan America (James A Johnson Metro Series)

4 min read · 4 weeks before

1.2k View Claps

68 Respond

Save

Listen

The Geography of Opportunity: Race and Housing Choice in Metropolitan America (James A. Johnson Metro Series)

by Tayon Mitchell

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	12433 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	380 pages

In the United States, the geography of opportunity is not evenly distributed. Some communities have access to good jobs, quality education, and safe housing, while others are plagued by poverty, crime, and environmental hazards. This inequality is not simply a matter of luck or chance. It is the result of decades of deliberate policy choices that have created a system that favors some communities over others.

The Geography of Opportunity explores the hidden potential in America's communities, revealing the factors that contribute to economic success and providing a roadmap for unlocking this potential. The book draws on cutting-edge research in economic geography, urban planning, and regional development to show how communities can overcome the challenges they face and create a more prosperous future for all.

Key Findings

The Geography of Opportunity identifies several key factors that contribute to economic success:

Access to good jobs: Communities with a high concentration of good jobs are more likely to have higher incomes, lower poverty rates, and better health outcomes.
Quality education: Communities with high-quality schools are more likely to have a skilled workforce, which attracts businesses and investment.
Safe and affordable housing: Communities with safe and affordable housing are more likely to be stable and attract families and businesses.
Transportation and infrastructure: Communities with good transportation and infrastructure are more likely to be connected to jobs, markets, and other opportunities.
Social capital: Communities with strong social capital, such as trust, reciprocity, and civic engagement, are more likely to be resilient and successful.

The book also finds that these factors are interconnected. For example, communities with good jobs are more likely to have quality education, safe housing, and good transportation. Conversely, communities with poor job opportunities are more likely to have low-quality schools, unsafe housing, and poor transportation.

A Roadmap for Unlocking Opportunity

The Geography of Opportunity provides a roadmap for unlocking the hidden potential in America's communities. The book outlines a number of policy recommendations that can help to create more equitable and prosperous communities, including:

Investing in infrastructure and transportation: Communities need to invest in infrastructure and transportation to connect residents to jobs, markets, and other opportunities.
Expanding access to education and job training: Communities need to expand access to quality education and job training to help residents develop the skills they need to succeed in the workforce.
Creating affordable housing: Communities need to create more affordable housing to help families and businesses stay in their communities.
Supporting community development: Communities need to support community development initiatives that help to build social capital and create a more vibrant and inclusive community.
Reforming criminal justice: Communities need to reform the criminal justice system to reduce mass incarceration and its negative consequences for communities.

The Geography of Opportunity is a must-read for anyone who is interested in creating more equitable and prosperous communities. The book provides a wealth of evidence-based research and policy recommendations that can help us to unlock the hidden potential in America's communities.

By investing in our communities, we can create a more just and equitable future for all.

The Geography of Opportunity: Race and Housing Choice in Metropolitan America (James A. Johnson Metro Series)

by Tayon Mitchell

4.4 out of 5