Study: Chicago Segregation Costs Billions Per Year
(CBS) Chicago could have more economic opportunities, greater educational achievement and less violence if the area was less segregated according to a new study.
WBBM's Bernie Tafoya reports.
A new report by the Metropolitan Planning Council and Urban Institute said the Chicago region's racial and economic segregation strangles opportunities for millions of people and costs the area billions of dollars.
The report said if black and white racial segregation were reduced to the national average, the city would have had 30 percent less killings, or 229 fewer murder in 2016. It also stated with greater diversity, the income level for African-Americans would rise an average of almost $3,000 a year in the Chicago area. There would also be 83,000 more bachelor's degrees in the region.
Data reveals that the Chicago's segregation has slowly decreased overall. The study showed that if economic and racial segregation continued improving at its snail pace, Latino and White segregation would reach the national average until 2050 at the earliest. African-American and white segregation would not reach the median level until 2070.
The Metropolitan Planning Council and Urban Institute used census data and other information on the 100 most populous regions in the United States for its findings. Chicago ranks as the 5th most economically and racially segregated city in the country.
According to the report, the lack of diversity also hurts affluent suburbs and neighborhoods. Limited housing options often mean young people cannot return to raise their own families. Retirees also cannot afford to stay.
The next phase of the study involves partners of the Metropolitan Planning Council identifying policy interventions that could help Chicago become less segregated. The team will look into policies focusing on area housing, transportation, economic development and public education.
Click here to read more of the study.