Population Shift

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Part of the reason that residents are moving out of the Lathrop Homes is the inaccessibility to jobs in the area. Over the past 30 years, the vast majority of the big business have left the area, with a Costco being the largest and most loyal employer.

The Stewart-Warner plant, which used to sit just across the Chicago River from Lathrop and provided jobs for many residents, has been turned into a gated community, featuring some prime market-rate housing in an up-and-coming neighborhood. All around Lathrop there are gated developements being opened or under construction.

Gated Community near Lathrop Homes February 2006

Although this construction should theoretically help the poorer residents of the area, at least according to CHA's plan for public housing around Chicago, Lathrop Homes' residents have found the new housing development to be anything but.

Joe Burrell, a long-time Lathrop Homes resident, talked abut the church trying to reach out to the new residents who were moving into the market rate housing, noting that only four new residents had taken any active role in the community and the church.

This type of behavior from the wealthy in an area that is on the way to becoming a "mixed" neighborhood presents potential problems for the CHA and public housing at large.

While it is acknowledged that having large areas of concentrated poverty and public housing have shown to have negative effects on the area and local residents, this theoretical mixing of people and incomes appears to just be segregation at a smaller level.

But even with the apparent lack of communication between residents of public housing and residents of the market rate housing, Burrell feels that if done right, CHA's plan could have some very positive outcomes.

"It would be a good idea if it was done the correct way," he said. "This is the most segregated city in the nation. Here, people never get to interact with anyone different, someone who can mentor you and get you ahead."

But Burrell had a caveat for those who argue that having the different income residents living in the same area can be beneficial. "You have to be living side-by-side. You can have someone live near you and never know them," Burrell said.

Click to Access CHA's vision of future public housing

Click here to Access a Lathrop Homes Message Board