Why is Los Angeles more segregated than other places in California

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Why is Los Angeles more segregated than other
places in California?

• Jasper j-turn Turner
• Sirinya s-trip Tritipeskul
• Krista K-Sey Seymour
• Janel J-Wri Wright
• Pamela p-gray Grewal

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Segregated census tracts on decline
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Diverse cities in California

• Sacramento 81
• Stockton 76
• Fremont 75
• Long Beach 72
• Oakland 72
• Sacramentos Diversity Index vs. LAs 81 vs 57

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History

• 1871 - first major anti-Chinese assault
• 1920-1940s - restrictive housing covenants and
  immigration laws
• 1948 - US Supreme Court overturns restricted
  housing covenants
• 1992 - Rodney King race riots

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General Theories

• Its not race, its income
• Labor market leads to housing
• Transportation
• Port of Entry Theory
• Self segregation
• Collective Action
• Real Estate
• Public Housing and vouchers
• Decentralized Racism
• Zoning laws

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Segregation in Los Angeles

• Data from LASUI (Los Angeles Survey of Urban
  Inequality) used to determine reasons for
  segregation in Los Angeles
• Household survey of people 21 and older living in
  Los Angeles County

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Theories of segregation dont seem to explain
the LA story

• Racial residential segregation is sometimes
  attributed to real or to perceived differences in
  the ability to afford housing in desirable
  neighborhood (Zubrinsky 337)
• This explanation is problematic
• Overlap in housing expenditures across racial
  groups
• Perceived differences in housing costs are
  minimal (Zubrinsky)

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• Personal Preference Hypothesis Some
  explanations of residential segregation claim
  that all groups share ethnocentric tendencies
  that lead to a preference for living with those
  of similar racial background. (Zubrinsky 337)
• This doesnt hold water either
• Zubrinsky and Bobo challenge this notion by
  comparing desirability of seven Los Angeles
  communities Alhambra, Baldwin Hills, Canoga
  Park, Culver City, Glendale, Palmdale and Pico
  Rivera
• For the most part, relative preferences of
  communities are the same across racial groups
• This challenges the idea that sharp differences
  in preferences lead to self-segregation
• Analysis of preferred neighbors lead us to
  conclusion that Whites are preferred to Blacks as
  neighbors-not congruent with theories of
  innocent ethnocentricism

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smells like discrimination

• Zubrinsky and Bobo find that perceptions of
  hostility influences minorities as to whether or
  not to search for housing in certain communities
• Institutional Discrimination (Banks, lenders,
  real estate agents, landlords)
• Minorities perceive racial discrimination Asians
  (5.8), Latinos (9), Blacks (28)

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Boyle Heights 1940
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Boyle Heights 1950
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Boyle Heights 1960
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Boyle Heights 1970
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Boyle Heights 1980
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Boyle Heights 1990
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Boyle Heights 2000
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But why more segregation in Los Angeles?

• Personal discrimination arising from history of
  extensive racial tensions
• Institutional discrimination
• Port of entry theory
• Spatial arrangement (isolation index)
• Poor transportation network

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QUESTIONS???