Chun, Y., Roll, S., Miller, S., Lee, H., Larimore, S., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2023). Racial and ethnic disparities in housing instability during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of assets and income shocks. Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 6(2), 63–81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41996-022-00109-5
Category: Inclusive Housing
New collection offers inclusive housing policies for St. Louis region

For decades, deeply entrenched policies have made Greater St. Louis one of the most segregated metropolitan areas in the United States. A new briefing book offers policy options for change.
Linkage Fees: A Vehicle for Financing Affordable Housing
Murphy, L., Cooper, S., & Beckham, R. (2023, February). Linkage fees: A vehicle for financing affordable housing (CSD Policy Brief No. 23-11). Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/r0g8-kr48
Advancing Racial Equity Through Community Land Trusts
Alzhrani, A., Kiefer, B., Kim, D.-Y., & Eissner, G. (2023, February). Advancing racial equity through community land trusts (CSD Policy Brief No. 23-10). Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/hyr6-3569
Zoning: Issues and Reform
Borland, O., Kohlstruk, C., & Owens, L. (2023, February). Zoning: Issues and reform (CSD Policy Brief No. 23-09). Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/9bav-8t27
Racially Restrictive Covenants: A Story of Segregation, Disinvestment, and Lingering Implications
Al Hammam, F., Haden, J., Logan-Wood, L., & Roeder, J. (2023, February). Racially restrictive covenants: A story of segregation, disinvestment, and lingering implications (CSD Policy Brief No. 23-08). Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/fshc-6755
Welcome Home: A Policy Briefing Book for Housing Opportunity in St. Louis County
Metzger, M. (Ed.). (2023, February). Welcome home: A policy briefing book for housing opportunity in St. Louis County (CSD Research Summary No. 23-07). Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/q9c7-3n13
Do Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Savings and Job Loss during COVID-19 Explain Disparities in Housing Hardships? A Moderated Mediation Analysis
Abstract Despite the array of public programs offered to help households mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many still needed to rely on savings, credit, or other assets to make ends meet. This reality may exacerbate existing social and economic inequities because racial and ethnic minorities often have lower access to assets and […]
Housing Hardships During COVID-19
Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. households were burdened by the cost of rental and mortgage payments, burdens which disproportionately fell on Black and Hispanic families. Using a 5-wave survey, we examined whether disparities in housing cost burden continued throughout the pandemic and trends in how households fell behind on rent and mortgage payments. […]
Inequalities in housing hardship declined because everybody is now worse off (Links to an external site)
Over recent months, SPI researchers found that the disproportionate experiences of housing hardship have lessened, but only because everyone became worse off. They also have observe that Black families have become “long-haulers” when it comes to their experience of housing hardship.
Are Foreclosure Spillover Effects Universal? Variation Over Space and Time
Government intervention in the housing market in response to the 2007–2010 mortgage crisis was driven in part by research showing that foreclosures lower neighboring housing values and thus increase neighbors’ risk of foreclosure. Researchers have consistently identified a negative spillover effect of foreclosures on nearby housing values, but the magnitude of the effect varies widely […]
Who relocates, where do they move, and why?
The lack of socioeconomic mobility among marginalized populations leads to the concentration of poverty, a long-standing issue in American cities. Empirical studies on neighborhood effects have found that poverty concentration adversely affects the socioeconomic mobility of residents—associated with their economic well-being, employment, education, health, and safety—in lower-income neighborhoods. Through a variety of neighborhood revitalization projects, […]
How Do the Lives of Participants in a Housing Mobility Program Change after They Move? A Case Study of the Mobility Connection Program
This brief outlines the results of an assessment of Mobility Connection, a housing mobility program in St. Louis, Missouri. Mobility Connection is administered through Ascend STL and this assessment was conducted in partnership with the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis. Our research focused on answering the following questions: To answer these […]
Who Will Help Children? Building Regional Brain Regimes
Tate, W. F., IV. (2019, August). Who will help children? Building brain regimes (CSD Perspective No. 19-30). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/362f-yk84
“I Didn’t Really Want to Leave”: A Case Study of Public Housing Relocation Under Pressure
Metzger, M. W., & Oliphant, J. E. (2019). “I didn’t really want to leave”: A case study of public housing relocation under pressure. Critical Social Work,18(1).
Segregation and a Path Forward to Inclusion in St. Louis
Webber, H. S. (2019, May). Segregation and a path forward to inclusion in St. Louis (CSD Perspective No. 19-25). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/1s4r-0929
Step by Step: Tenant Accounts of Securing and Maintaining Quality Housing With a Housing Choice Voucher
Metzger, M. W., Bender, A., Flowers, A., Murugan, V., & Ravindranath, D. (2019). Step by step: Section 8 tenant accounts of searching for quality housing. Journal of Community Practice, 27(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705422.2019.1580653
Facing Segregation: Housing Policy Solutions for a Stronger Society
Metzger, M. W., & Webber, H. S. (Eds.). (2018). Facing segregation: Housing policy solutions for a stronger society. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Foreword to Facing Segregation: Housing Policy Solutions for a Stronger Society
Sherraden, M. (2018). Foreword. In M. W. Metzger & H. S. Webber (Eds.), Facing segregation: Housing policy solutions for a stronger society (pp. ix–xi). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Segregation: A Threat to Americans’ Shared Goals
Metzger, M. W., & Webber, H. S. (2018). Segregation: A threat to Americans’ shared goals. In M. W. Metzger & H. S. Webber (Eds.), Facing segregation: Housing policy solutions for a stronger society (pp. 3–14). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
The Enduring Significance of Segregation
Purnell, J. Q. (2018). The enduring significance of segregation. In M. W. Metzger & H. S. Webber (Eds.), Facing segregation: Housing policy solutions for a stronger society (pp. 58–74). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Concluding Thoughts on an Agenda for Solving Segregation
Webber, H. S., & Metzger, M. W. (2018). Concluding thoughts on an agenda for solving segregation. In M. W. Metzger & H. S. Webber (Eds.), Facing segregation: Housing policy solutions for a stronger society (pp. 233–242). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Hypermobility and Educational Outcomes: The Case of St. Louis
Metzger, M. W., Fowler, P. J., & Swanstrom, T. (2018). Hypermobility and educational outcomes: The case of St. Louis. Urban Education, 53(6), 774–805. doi:10.1177/0042085916682571
Tax Abatement in Saint Louis: Reforms Could Foster Equitable Development
DeWind, C., Dickey, J., O’Neill, E., & Metzger, M. (2016, June). Tax abatement in Saint Louis: Reforms could foster equitable development (CSD Policy Brief No. 16-21). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Residential Mobility During Adolescence: Even “Upward” Moves Predict High School Dropout
Metzger, M. W., Fowler, P. J., & Kelberman, B. (2015, October). Residential mobility during adolescence: Even “upward” moves predict high school dropout (CSD Research Brief No. 15-52). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Evicting Victims: Reforming St. Louis’s Nuisance Ordinance for Survivors of Domestic Violence
Kantor, N., & Metzger, M. W. (2015, September). Evicting victims: Reforming St. Louis’s nuisance ordinance for survivors of domestic violence (CSD Policy Brief No. 15-47). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Housing and Child Well-Being
Marcal, K., & Fowler, P. J. (2015, September). Housing and child well-being (CSD Research Brief No. 15-40). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
The Right to Stay Put: City Garden Montessori School and Neighborhood Change
Bologna, J., Kantor, N., Liu, Y., & Taylor, S. (2015). The right to stay put: City Garden Montessori School and neighborhood change [Report]. St. Louis, MO: Washington University.
Patterns of Housing Voucher Use Revisited: Segregation and Section 8 Using Updated Data and More Precise Comparison Groups, 2013
Metzger, M. W., & Pelletiere, D. (2015). Patterns of housing voucher use revisited: Segregation and Section 8 using updated data and more precise comparison groups, 2013 (CSD Working Paper No. 15-22). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Section 8 Housing in the St. Louis Region: Local Opportunities to Expand Housing Choice
Metzger, M. W. (2014, November). Section 8 housing in the St. Louis region: Local opportunities to expanding housing choice (CSD Policy Brief No. 14-29). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Homeownership Across the American Life Course: Estimating the Racial Divide
Hirschl, T. A., & Rank, M. R. (2006). Homeownership across the American life course: Estimating the racial divide (CSD Working Paper No. 06-12). St Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.