The Cost of Being Poor: A Comparative Study of Life in Poor Urban Neighborhoods in Gary, Indiana

Index

Index adoption, 207, 208 AFDC. See Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) African Americans, 19; assets of, 173; and business outmigration , 117; business ownership by, 36; and car ownership, 167; and clothing/ household items shopping, 105–6; and consumerism, 95–96; control over youth of, 16; and crime, 28; customer service for, 83, 84, 85; discrimination against, 4, 26; educational achievement by, 42; and extended family, 155–56; in Gary, 21, 22, 23, 25–26, 35, 39, 40; and grocery stores, 68, 75, 76, 77, 92; and industry, 18, 25–26; in Merrillville, 39, 40; migration to Gary by, 21, 25–26; migration to North by, 18; and political accountability, 211–12; and politics, 35, 202; in Portage, 39, 40; and poverty, 17, 18, 19, 20; and public assistance, 172; resilience of, 5; as single mothers, 179, 188; and social isolation, 194; social status of, 28; spending power of, 33–34; as threat to Whites, 25, 26, 27; and unemployment, 22; wealth of, 34; and work, 25–26; and working class conflict, 29. See also race agency: in concentrated poverty neighborhoods, 12, 13; and exchange vs. use value, 32–33; Gans on, 187; and grocery store problems, 91; and middle class expectations, 197; of ordinary vs. elite, 31–32; and personal finances, 115; and poverty, 1, 4–7; and shopping patterns, 68, 111–12. See also choice; strategies; values Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), 169–70, 172–73, 183 AJ Wright, 118 aspiration, leveled, 96. See also sociopsychological dimensions; values assets, 173, 187. See also homeownership; income banking, 41, 205–6 Berner, Robert, 93 Betten, Neil, 25–26, 28 Billingsley, Andrew, 112, 154; Climbing Jacob’s Ladder, 5 Black Oak, 40; grocery stores in, 70, 71, 72, 77, 80–81, 92, 93; and transportation, 81, 82; Whites in, 22 263 Blumer, Herbert, 26, 176 budget, 87, 116, 183 buildings, abandonment of, 43, 99, 101, 142, 185, 214 business: absence of, 16, 31; African American ownership of, 36; and Empowerment Zones, 206–7; establishment of essential, 209; in Gary, 40–43, 70–93; and infrastructure, 203; and Lakeshore Employment Training Partnership, 44; leadership in creating, 214–15; and loyalty to Gary, 117–18; and market forces, 3, 96, 103, 214; in Merrillville, 41; outmigration of, 2, 4, 21, 22, 34, 35–36, 97–103, 115–17, 158, 176, 178, 194, 202–3; and politics, 103, 214–15; in poor neighborhoods, 16; in Portage, 41; Ramirez on, 149; and suburbanization, 35; and Urban Enterprise Zone, 44; and urban renewal, 49. See also clothing retailers; discount/thrift stores; grocery stores; household items retailers; industry; mega stores; Southlake Mall/ Westfield Shoppingtown; Village Mall/Village Shopping Center; specific businesses “Buy in Gary” campaign, 209 capitalism, 103 Carson Pirie-Scott, 35, 106 casinos, 45–48, 128, 209, 210 catalog shopping, 110 Catlin, Robert A., 22, 28–29, 70, 201; Racial Politics and Urban Planning, 117 Cayton, Horace R., 11 CDC. See Community Development Corporation CDCU. See Community Development Credit Union Celebrate Gary campaign, 101 census tract, 11, 12. See also neighborhood Chaisson, Reba L., 95 Chicago Community Development Corporation, 209 childcare: and adaptation to poverty, 69; affordability of, 188; and Davis, 129–30, 153, 157; and extended families, 156, 207–8; government assistance for, 207, 208; and interaction with Whites, 178; and Moore, 135, 137, 143–44, 152–53; provision of, 179–81; and Ramirez, 146; spending on, 122; and Step Ahead, 179; subsidized, 182; and tax deductions, 207–8; and transportation to grocery stores, 82 children: born out of wedlock, 152–53; born to teenagers, 41; and Davis, 131; devotion to, 189; and divorce, 153; and education, 154; environment friendly to, 110; and extended family, 156; importance of, 151; and isolation vs. integration, 196; latchkey, 180; and Moore, 132, 134, 135–37, 139, 140–41, 144, 145, 161; optimism for future of, 186–87, 191, 196; perseverance for, 187; and poverty, 18, 19–20, 39, 40; provision for, 155; and Ramirez, 147, 148, 150, 151; security of, 184–85; shopping for, 86–87, 184, 199; and support payment process, 208; and transition from welfare to work, 170; and wealth, 187. See also mothers 264 Index Chin, Elizabeth, Purchasing Power, 95–96 choice: in adaptation to poverty, 69; basis for, 193; in grocery shopping, 89; importance of, 6, 161–62; and poor neighborhoods , 15; and situational adaptivity, 199–200. See also agency churches, 205, 210. See also religion city/urban areas...