[[{"fid":"7165","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{"height":"2700","width":"1800","style":"width: 200px; height: 300px; margin: 10px 20px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]Americans think of suburbs as prosperous areas that are relatively free from poverty and unemployment. Yet, today more poor people live in the suburbs than in cities. A new book from RSF, Places in Need: The Changing Geography of Poverty, tracks how the number of poor people living in suburbs has more than doubled over the last 25 years, with little attention from academics and policymakers. Social policy expert Scott W. Allard (University of Washington) argues that a thorough analysis of suburban communities is critical for better understanding and alleviating poverty.

Using census data, administrative data from safety net programs, and interviews with nonprofit leaders in the Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas, Allard finds that the suburban demand for safety net assistance has increased with the rise of single-parent households, decreases in the number of college graduates, and higher unemployment rates in the suburbs. However, many suburban social service providers do not have sufficient resources to meet this demand.  Allard advocates expanding funding and eligibility for federal programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and boosting the capabilities of community-based service providers. This account of suburban vulnerability amidst persistent urban poverty provides a valuable foundation for developing more effective antipoverty strategies.

Read more or purchase a copy of the book