Transit Access and Labor Market Outcomes across Segregated Neighborhoods

Gentrification and the concurrent decline of the nation's oldest suburban housing stock have contributed to relatively affordable housing in many of the nation's inner suburbs. A growing number of the nation's poor live in suburbs. Among the suburban poor, Latinos are the fastest growing group, and the suburban black population below poverty has also increased disproportionately in recent decades. Many of the racial/ethnic residential segregation patterns associated with cities have emerged within low-income inner-suburban areas. Inner-suburbs generally lack the amenities and services available in the city, and suburban travel often requires an automobile because low-density suburban landscapes cannot support public transportation. For the poor- especially those who cannot afford an automobile- accessing goods, services, and employment outside of the neighborhood may be challenging.;For 4 metropolitan areas of varying Latino settlement histories and varying transit availability, this dissertation explores to what extent access to public transportation varies among different types of residentially segregated neighborhoods. It compares segregated Latino neighborhoods and segregated black neighborhoods with all other neighborhoods. Two different methods for measuring transit access are compared. A second research question explores to what extent variation in transit access across neighborhood types influences labor market outcomes.;This study reveals differences in the quality of transit access across neighborhoods of various racial/ethnic concentrations. In Portland and San Francisco, where neighborhoods of black and Latino concentration are more commonly found away from the urban core, transit access for segregated neighborhoods is poor compared to other neighborhoods. Segregated neighborhoods in Houston and Las Vegas have comparatively high levels of transit access relative to other neighborhoods. San Francisco is the only study region for which increased transit access is consistently associated with neighborhood labor market improvements.;Segregation research has focused on an analysis of the socio-economic characteristics of segregated neighborhoods. Much less attention has been given to neighborhood contextual neighborhood factors that stand to shape social and economic opportunity for neighborhood residents. This project provides a starting point for understanding the role of public transportation in expanding opportunities for low-income and residentially segregated residents.