Brief #2 – Living in a Mixed-Income Development: Resident Perceptions of Benefits and Disadvantages
This brief focuses on early resident experiences in two mixed-income developments, Oakwood Shores and Westhaven Park, which are part of the City of Chicago’s Plan for Transformation. We investigate how different residents—relocated public housing renters, affordable and market-rate renters, and affordable and market-rate owners—perceive the early benefits and disadvantages of living in a mixed-income development. Respondents’ reflections about their early experiences in the new mixed-income developments focus on the following four areas:
- Physical environment and quality of life
- Emotional health and stress
- Social relations among residents
- Financial implications
This brief is based on a longer paper, Living in a Mixed-Income Development: Resident Perceptions of the Benefits and Disadvantages of Two Developments in Chicago (Joseph and Chaskin, 2010, Urban Studies 47(11): 2347-2366).