LATINA/OS AND HOUSING POLICIES
BY STUDENT
How does Latino/as housing
conditions and policies in New York in the 20th century relate to
these same policies in the 21st century? That is the grand question
but unfortunately, the same kind of problems still arise. In this blog post, I
will speak about the housing policies for Latinos in the 20th and 21st
centuries respectively and how not much has changed. Up to this day, Latinos
face housing discrimination and it seems to be a trend that is not changing
anytime soon. Throughout the past decades, the housing situation for Latino has
improved, but the problem is that it is not par to par with other ethnic groups
such as Whites and their housing situations. When something is wrong in someone’s
apartment let’s say for example, the correct thing to do is report. This is the
opposite of what Latinos are doing. The face the fear of filing complaints when
they have to, have language barriers when a disagreement occurs, and are
unfamiliar with the culture which relates to not trusting the government or
even their landlord. Latinos have feared to speak up about the awful housing
conditions they reside in and for the reason for that is the lack of general
knowledge on knowing fair housing rights and responsibilities. The Fair Housing
Act of 1968 helped dramatically, with a house provider having been forced to
meet with someone seeking to rent regardless of their ethnicity or race but
problems still arise in the 21st century.
The housing conditions around
the 20th century were crowded and deficient with more than five people living
in one single apartment built for two. Tiny, crammed full, musty and filthy
buildings that migrants were forced to be in when they migrated to America.
These were called tenements. As the book, How
the Other Half Lives, by Jacob Riis states, in a specific tenement, a total
of 89 children out of 180 people resided in the just two tenements. These
places were not big to begin with in the first place. 150 lodgers were found sleeping
on the tenement floors in just two apartment buildings and even worse, water
did not rise up to the second floor in some locations. Overtime, these types of
housing locations were exposed and change was made but not soon enough.
New York City has been a home
to many foreigners, who have struggled trying to find a living on their own
homeland. Puerto Ricans were a group of people that faced many inequalities
regarding housing conditions where they would live in. Housing conditions for
Puerto Ricans during the 20th century was nothing but dreadful to those who
migrated to New York City. While those who thought coming to New York would
change their lives, it made a huge impact on Latinos, for they have struggled
to make their ends meet. The Puerto Ricans that migrated to New York City
settled in the barrios of the Lower East Side, East Harlem and the Bronx during
the mid-20th century. The housing in these places was horrible and also was
severely crowded, as was stated in the Lower East Side Tenement Museum article.
In fact, the 1990 census showed that the median family income for Puerto Ricans
was close to half of the income of other New Yorkers and also stated that most
Puerto Ricans still continue to live below the poverty line.
It's a shame to know that we're living in a first-world, developed country, proud to call ourselves a successful nation, yet we have people living like their still in third-world countries. Right under our noses in world renowned cities like New York! I'd just like to know, have there been any solutions to the problems you've mentioned in your post? Are policy-makers even aware? Nice post!
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a shame that people still live like this in the great America. It is sad to know that people live in housing that is not safe for them. It is not fair that people fear their landlords and feel uncomfortable asking them for help. I don't understand how a landlord can feel okay with themselves knowing that they have tenants living in subpar conditions while they are probably in a two-story house. I believe that policies like section 8, which is a federal program that helps very low income families pay their rent, are very good and important so that families can get the housing they deserve. Section 8 requires a yearly inspection to ensure that the house is safe for its tenants.
ReplyDeleteI also agree, because we claim to be one of the leading countries yet there are still many living in conditions like these. Many are afraid to speak up because of fear of the law. Some do speak up, but are still ignored by their landlords. I know that for me, my aunt has had trouble in her apartment and she's always been afraid to reach out to her landlord so she just has my dad or one of her brothers fix it. It's sad to know that many people go through this same situation. Their should be a system in place to address everyones needs.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this because it says a lot of what i believe myself. Being in a so called "first world" country you would expect for us to be a lot more advanced in certain accepts that we lack in. There isn't fully equal rights to speak up on issues that trouble us, because some are fearful of consequences especially considering what is gong on in the world. People live in areas that are not safe at all but because that is all they are able to afford, and sometimes treated unfairly by landlords who take advantage of them and treat them like they are less than because they are poor.
ReplyDeleteIt is honestly really sad because this blog post sheds light on some of America's biggest problems. For a "first world" country and to have living conditions as impoverished as many of those in third world country is absurd. You know whats worse, these immigrants were probably living a lot better in their home countries than they are in America, a place where they packed all their bags and decided to made a journey to.
ReplyDeleteI liked this blog because it opened my eyes to what living conditions were and sometimes still are like. Living my whole life in the suburbs I was never really conscious about living conditions in the city and this blog really shed some light on the inequalities. Its crazy to think how much more work has to be done in a self proclaimed first-world country.
ReplyDeleteI liked this blog because I was able to make a comparison between living conditions for Latinos in the city and the suburbs. I am from Farrmingville, a small town on Long Island, that has a high percentage of Latinos in the area. Just like those living in the city in crowded houses, it is very similar in the suburbs. I have a friend that lives down the block from me with 20+ other people, meanwhile the house is only suitable for maybe 6-8 people.This is a result of landowners making it difficult for Latinos to rent/buy houses in this "first world" country. I just find it crazy that these issues are the same that existed in the late 90's and are only very slowly getting better.
ReplyDeleteThis blog did a very good job of shedding light onto a fact that may be known, but definitely isn't at the forefront of our minds. While I did live in small poor conditions as a child, for the majority of my life I lived in the suburbs, so this was not that prominent in my life for too long. It is wild to imagine having to live in these conditions for more than the short period that I did.
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ReplyDeleteIt’s really crazy that some people outside of the United States or even outside of New York think that New York is so lavish and beautiful, and they actually have no idea how some parts of New York really are and/or have been. A lot of people migrated to New York for a better life and in turn had to deal with a lot of struggles still. I like that this blog touched on those issues, that housing conditions in the 20th century were unsettling, and even in the 21st century there continue to be issues. It's even worse that some people just deal with it because they are afraid to speak up about it, or are unable find better places to live, due to their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see that we had the same topic and basically both believe that housing conditions continue to have a long way to go. Yes, housing is better than what it once was, but it is not completely better and still has a long way to go. It's great to see improvements though but our conditions are seriously inferior to the housing conditions of the wealthier class. I do not expect the poor to live in fancy neighborhoods in condos but I do expect the government to put a bit more effort into the housing conditions. It is interesting to see that you touched on the fact that minorities and immigrants are fearful to call out their landlords on bad conditions in fear of deportation and it is a sad fact that this happens. But I see this as a calling for immigrants to call more of their housing rights as well of all of their rights.
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point in stating that Puerto Ricans, since the 20th century, have lived below the poverty line. They are also continuously facing inequality, while Puerto Ricans and Mexicans are groups of Latinos that have been in the US the longest. I wonder if there is any research or papers out there pointing out how/if other Latinos are facing this same type of housing discrimination.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you mention earlier in your post that Latinos fear reporting landlords and such. I wonder if it would be the same today considering most Puerto Ricans, at least the younger ones, know how to speak English. I do agree, however, that Puerto Ricans, and Latinos in general, continue to experience housing discrimination.
I really like that you mentioned about the minorities and immigrants are either fearful of placing complaints or plainly ignored by the landlords. In my aunt's case, the landlord was ignoring her complains. She has been living in the same apartment for 11 years and recently she had an issue with leaky roof.
ReplyDeleteShe told me that the landlord kept telling her that he will fix it but he never did. Instead he said that if she doesn't like it here she can find other place and he has plenty of other people wanting to move in her apartment and willing to pay more than she pays. I was so disturbed by his remarks and went to see him with her. I spoke with the landlord of how unfairly he has been treating her and so on. few days later, my aunt called me to inform that the ceiling is fixed.
That day, it got me thinking why did he ignore her complains but decided to listen when I spoke with him. Was it her broken english that made him feel like her voice didn't matter? In my aunt's case, her problem was fixed but what about other families who are facing language barrier? are they forever going to be ignored? It makes me sad just by thinking of it.
I really like that you mentioned about the minorities and immigrants are either fearful of placing complaints or plainly ignored by the landlords. In my aunt's case, the landlord was ignoring her complains. She has been living in the same apartment for 11 years and recently she had an issue with leaky roof.
ReplyDeleteShe told me that the landlord kept telling her that he will fix it but he never did. Instead he said that if she doesn't like it here she can find other place and he has plenty of other people wanting to move in her apartment and willing to pay more than she pays. I was so disturbed by his remarks and went to see him with her. I spoke with the landlord of how unfairly he has been treating her and so on. few days later, my aunt called me to inform that the ceiling is fixed.
That day, it got me thinking why did he ignore her complains but decided to listen when I spoke with him. Was it her broken english that made him feel like her voice didn't matter? In my aunt's case, her problem was fixed but what about other families who are facing language barrier? are they forever going to be ignored? It makes me sad just by thinking of it.
It is interesting to see how living conditions have changed over the years, but I do agree that the changes that have occurred, are not enough to counter the inequalities many minority groups face. You touched on some of the barriers Latino groups face in terms of housing, particularly language barriers and this fear that keeps certain groups from defending themselves. These barriers also play a role in the gentrification of these areas. Landlords refuse to facilitate repairs in these apartments, and they are eventually forced to move. Once the apartment is vacant, it can be fully renovated and the price can be raised. As these patterns continue, the socioeconomic pattern of the area can change. Not only are people facing intolerable living conditions, but these conditions are serving as a tool for displacement and gentrification.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like we are just living in a parallel of those times with the tenements. The conditions are not exactly the same but the same root problem still stands, affordable housing is rare and when it is found it is difficult to capitalize on it because of those barriers that Latinos encounter. In Journal by Arlene Davila Dreams of Place: Housing, Gentrification, and the Marketing of Space in El Barrio it is explained some ways that latinos are kept away from housing options. One of the most messed up ones I read stated that developers wouldn't publish their ads where Latinos would access them such as newpaper "El Diario" . I was shocked and disgusted because it seems that there is always a loophole or technicality that ends up screwing over the minorities in this city, specifically the Latinos in this example.
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ReplyDeleteThe “American Dream” is what people from outside the U.S. envision. Sadly to say it’s not all that perfect how commercial and or movies make it seem. People migrate to New York for a better life style but instead it creates a bigger struggle. This issue has continued till now but has gotten much better. Housing has improved much because of protection with the law. In other cases landlord still abuses tenants with their power and tenants are afraid to say something because of eviction.
ReplyDeleteI feel like we still live in a time where people live in overcrowded apartments because that's all they can afford. Without out affordable living space people have to make due with what they can afford. Once i read a story where the main character, an immigrant from Mexico, thought that when he would get to the United States people would just hand him a well paying job and that he would be able to sufficiently be able to care for a family with no trouble. Getting here he realized that wasn't the case, and i feel like that is the reality that many people who come here envision something else than what it really is.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was really interesting because it really opened my eyes to these really serious problems. i know living conditions were bad, but this showed me how bad it really is. its disappointing that people have migrated here to find better opportunities for their families have come to find that it might be better than where they came from, but its still not an ideal life. Immigrants are forced to live in there poor living conditions because they have no other options and it is sad that this country can provide better for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was really interesting because it really opened my eyes to these really serious problems. i know living conditions were bad, but this showed me how bad it really is. its disappointing that people have migrated here to find better opportunities for their families have come to find that it might be better than where they came from, but its still not an ideal life. Immigrants are forced to live in there poor living conditions because they have no other options and it is sad that this country can provide better for everyone.
ReplyDeleteMuch of the information that we have learned in class like this is something many people do not really understand is still happening. You really illuminated the struggles Latinos are still facing today from what they have faced since migration to the U.S. I think people have been aware of bad housing conditions for African Americans in a majority of U.S. cities but are neglectful in the fact that Latinos face this oppression, as well. I do not come from a town with many Latinos so I am an example of someone who did not know about these struggles and maybe it is the education system or ignorance, but I am happy to have taken this class to see behind the shiny facade of things. You did a great job conveying the housing issues Latinos face and it is a sad struggle that no human should have to face.
ReplyDeleteI can personally relate to this, i have seen many people in my own family who have struggled to know how it is to come nto this country from nothing. They all come hoping to get a new and a better life than what they had before. they struggle and all they want is a chance to make a life for themselves. However, it's issues like this that continue to oppress Latinos in such a manner. They are continually dealing with this discrimination, and yes it is a current issue. I enjoyerd reading this because , I am glad I read this because it's a comfort to know I have peers that still see the problems that arise with these issues. This oertains to housing, education, residency, oh and how the lists go on and on.... Hopefully it gets better.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting to see the housing conditions of people in the past and compare them to the current day housing. I personally know people that have been in pretty bad housing conditions, living with up to 10 people in a tiny 3 bedroom apartment. I have also personally gone through similar situations and it is sad to see that this still exists. We have to be the ones to make a change in the world and make our voices heard. That is the only way that change will happen.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article that focuses on the imprtoance of recognizing the struggles of Latinos during the 20th century. It is true that latinos were afraid to speak up to their landlord because of the lack of communication they were able to make. As well as being afraid of eviction of their landlords. My Puerto Rican Grandparents have mentioned a story of when they had first come to the states and it correlates with the content of this blogpost.
ReplyDeleteIt is insane to read the conditions and struggles of Latinos in the 20th century. They would deal with anything in order to make sure they could continue to live in their really rundown apartments. I have lived in really bad conditions too, but it was never that bad, which makes me wonder what type of world we live in that unfortunately in this day and age we still deal with unfair and super poor conditions for those who work hard and make a living the same as everyone else i this country.
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