How Community Matters: The Nexus of Education, Communities & Housing
“Can it be good business to do the right thing?” That was the question posed at the end of March’s Atlanta Regional Housing Forum.
The forum’s introduction:
The academic achievement gap between poor and non-poor students is well-known. Low-income children consistently fall behind their peers in test scores, graduation rates, college enrollment, and other measures of academic success. In many cases, low- and moderate-income families cannot afford to live near high-performing, high-scoring schools. A growing body of examples demonstrates that building partnerships between schools, families, affordable housing stakeholders and community organizations can reconnect schools to their communities and improve educational achievements for young people.
Increase in partnerships between schools, families, and community organizations help to develop targeted educational programs and supports and increase access to services and opportunities to ensure that children succeed in school and are prepared for adult success. Likewise, partnerships have the opportunity to change traditional paradigms and improve school systems; in tough neighborhoods, and especially in large urban areas, schools can become disconnected from other assets, isolated from community leadership and concerns, and fragmented in their approach to young people’s development. Moreover, besides for directly affecting the lives of individuals and families, young people’s educational success is important to the economic success of neighborhoods and cities.
WCA Staff regularly attends the forum and this one hit particularly close to home. Carol Naughton, Senior Vice President of Purpose Built Communities spoke about community redevelopment through the East Lake Foundation. The creation of a mixed-income community has reduced violent crime in the East Lake community by 95%, reduced the amount of adults on welfare from 59% to 5%, and significantly increased CRCT scores and graduation rates for Drew Charter School students.
Naughton’s biggest message was about the relationship between housing and a child’s achievement and how youth achievement determines the future of an area. Currently, 1 in 10 Americans live in poverty and 1 in 4 children live in poverty. 86% of third grade children in concentrated poverty cannot read at grade level. Third grade reading levels are used to predict the number of prison beds needed, health outcomes, and other projections. She claims that tackling poverty issues is not only morally or socially just, it makes economic sense considering that the nation currently spends $500 billion on childhood poverty.
Marjy Stagmire, President of TI Asset Management, spoke about her residential property management experience in Clarkston, Georgia and her partnership with the local elementary school. In 5 years, Indian Creek Elementary saw a reduction in crime, a successful after-school program, and became a Title I School of Distinction. The Willow Branch apartments were purchased with $10 million of investment money and produced a 15% return on investment. Stagmire notes that these successes weren’t without challenges along the way. Yet, in the end, she was able to aid a struggling community and please her investors. She answers the question of “Can it be good business to do the right thing?” with a “yes”, cautioning that it is essential to be aware of the existing relationships when you come into a place.
Suggested readings from Enterprise Community Partners are:
Sustainable Communities Need Opportunity-Rich Schools: A Smart Growth Imperative – Future_of_Communities_SGN
The Positive Impacts of Affordable Housing on Education: A Research Summary – Housing_and_Education_Enterprise
Maximizing Walkability, Diversity, and Educational Equity in US Schools – Walkability_and_Diversity_PolicyLink
Read more about the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum here:
