THE IMPACT OF HOME OWNERSHIP ON THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT OF LOW-INCOME PEOPLE

Supporters of subsidized home-ownership programs have made claims conc erning the benefits of home ownership. Home owners are said to be more involved in social and political affairs, including neighboring and p articipation in community organizations. The authors test these claims using longitudinal data collected on groups of low-income home buyers and low-income renters in Baltimore. The results indicate that home b uyers are less likely to neighbor and are more likely to participate i n neighborhood and block associations but not other community organiza tions. Home buyers who perceived more neighborhood problems or who emp hasized economic reasons for buying were no more likely to participate in social and political affairs.