THE DISPARATE RACIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS OF METROPOLITAN ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING

The authors examine the relationship between economic restructuring in a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and 1980-1990 changes in povert y rates in its census tracts. A summary indicator of economic restruct uring, encompassing changes in employment/population ratios, shares of manufacturing employment, and shares of MSA manufacturing in a tract' s county, is developed to explain why MSA restructuring is particularl y distressing for blacks. Most poverty growth in predominantly black c ensus tracts occurred in MSAs with greater restructuring, and each inc rement of restructuring was significantly associated with the poverty growth there. Black tracts in a central city with, or in a county with , a larger share of the MSA's manufacturing were most vulnerable.