Housing GSO: HRA Greensboro Affordable Housing Plan

AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY

Why does access to opportunity matter in Greensboro? Many neighborhoods in Greensboro have a negative impact on the future income mobility of children born into low-income families. Of the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S., Greensboro ranks 98 out of 100 in terms of the causal effects of childhood location on household income in adulthood, compared to the U.S. average, meaning that low-income children in Greensboro make about 15% less in adulthood than if they grew up in an average place. In addition, there is a growing achievement gap in public education, where low-income children are concentrated in poorly ranked schools. Greensboro ranks 72 out of 100 on the Education Equality Index, which measures where children from low-income communities are most likely to attend schools with small or no achievement gaps. Given these well-documented, adverse impacts, Greensboro should work to locate new affordable housing in areas of opportunity to support equitable outcomes for lower-income families and increase access to resources for success.

Low- Income Children’s HH Income In Adulthood, Based on Neighborhood Where They Grew Up (2016)

<$25K

$28K

$30K

$32K

$34K

$36K

$38K

$41K

$45K

>$60K

Source: Equality of Opportunity Index, Opportunity Atlas, Education Equality Index, Guilford County Schools

HR&A Advisors, Inc.

Page 169