Public Housing and School Choice in a Gentrified City

Abstract

Public Housing and School Choice in a Gentrified City is a bold statement about education and housing policies that influence the lives of low-income youth. This multi-method study draws on interviews, youth research, and in-depth case studies from Hoboken, New Jersey to examine the influence of intra-district school choice and charter schools on the education of youth in public housing as well as the environmental experiences of low-income youth in a gentrified community. In her work, Molly Vollman Makris examines neoliberal nonegalitarianism, the creation of boutique charter schools, and changes to public housing policy. Makris' research also identifies a link between school choice, universal preschool, and the real estate market, and shows that these educational policies are creating what Makris calls prolonged gentrification. Importantly, the book provides readers with ideas to ameliorate the inequalities identified.