Sprawl and Jobs

The Problem

Although it is hard to determine which came first, it is undeniable that the explosive suburban growth in many cities is either fueled by or has attracted the lion’s share of new jobs in recent years. In Atlanta, for example, nearly three quarters of the job growth since 1990 has occurred in the northern suburbs of the city, with little to no growth in the majority non-white neighborhoods in South Atlanta. Many of these suburban jobs are difficult for inner city residents to reach, due to lack of public transportation from more affordable city neighborhoods and lack of affordable housing nearby.

Who Is Affected?

Jobs in the suburbs, where public transportation is often minimal or nonexistent, may be nearly inaccessible to those who most need employment—low income, city residents. To reach the job-rich suburbs, low income city dwellers may be forced into buying a car—an expense that the Surface Transportation Policy Project has called “a poverty trap,” noting that the poorest fifth of Americans spend 42 percent of their household budgets on the purchase, operation and maintenance of cars. For low income workers, moving nearer to these jobs is not possible: suburban communities generally lack affordable housing options.

What You Can Do

Become an advocate for better public transportation options, affordable housing, and smarter growth in your community. Many cities have groups that are working to improve access to public transit, push for more affordable housing and better planning that revitalizes urban areas rather than encouraging suburban sprawl. Find out more about smart growth issues at www.smartgrowthamerica.org.

Push your local government to find incentives to attract business to urban areas and urge local businesses to look at access issues when relocating such as whether there is affordable housing nearby or adequate public transportation for their lower wage workers. An example of a pledge taken by Chicago area businesses to consider these issues when building new facilities is available at www.goodjobsfirst.com.

Find out where your elected officials stand on sprawl and growth issues by attending town hall meetings and writing them letters. You can also look for information from national and state groups that track the environmental voting records of elected officials such as the League of Conservation Voters or your state conservation voter league.

Register to vote and vote for the candidates who will work for equal access to jobs and smarter growth patterns in your community.

Other Resources

For more information on transportation issues, contact the Transportation Equity Network and the Surface Transporation Policy Project.

For more information on affordable housing issues, contact the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).