Impact of mental health facilities on property values

Abstract

Community opposition to the establishment of a small-scale mental health facility is often intense. One frequently voiced fear is that the estabishment of a facility will cause property values in its vicinity to decline. This paper examines empirical evidence of the impact on property values in the neighborhood of 12 mental health centers in Philadelphia. It is concluded that such facilities have an indeterminate effect on property values in their vicinity, contary to popular opinion.

The Impact of Supportive Housing on Surrounding Neighborhoods

“…(See, e.g., Boeckh, Dear, and Taylor 1980;Boydell, Trainor and Pierri 1989;Dear 1977;Iglhaut 1988;Lauber 1986;Wolpert 1978). Although the researchers using such cross-sectional techniques took care to choose "control" neighborhoods that seem as much like the "treatment" areas as possible, the possibility remains that the neighborhoods were different in important respects that the researcher did not observe.…”

Les foyers de groupe et le phénomène « pas dans ma cour », c’est arrivé près de chez nous. Étude pilote.

“…Plusieurs recherches se sont toutefois penchées sur des manifestations réelles du phénomène « pas dans ma cour » (Baillargeon et al, 1991 ;Balukas et Wald Baken, 1985 ;Cupaiuolo, 1979 ;Dear, 1992 ;Dorvil, 1988 ;Hogan, 1986) et ont permis de relever certaines variables pouvant en être la cause : (1) des préoccupations en ce qui concerne la sécurité personnelle (Gardner, 1981 ;Julien, 1990 ;Metropolitan Human Services Commission, 1986 ;Rabkin et al, 1984 ;Willms, 1981) ; (2) une baisse de la valeur des propriétés (Dear, 1977 ;Farber, 1986 ;Lubin et al, 1982 ;Mambort et al, 1981 ;Myers et Bridges, 1995 ;Scott et Scott, 1980 ;Weiner et al, 1982 ;Wolpert, 1978) ; et (3) un impact négatif sur la qualité de vie et l'accessibilité des ressources communautaires (Baron et Piasecki, 1981 ;Berdiansky et Parker, 1977 ;Eynon, 1989). L'information et le savoir déjà acquis sur le phénomène « « pas dans ma cour » font partie intégrante de cette recherche.…”

The Impact of Supportive Housing on Neighborhood Crime Rates

“…The same conclusion was reached in property value impact studies of group homes for the developmentally disabled (Wolpert, 1978), for children (Knowles & Baba, 1973), and for other types of facilities serving a wide range of clienteles (Farber, 1986;Hargreaves, Callanan, & Maskell, 1998;Wickware & Goodale, 1979). Some studies of the period even concluded that there was a positive property value impact from supportive housing of various types located in lowervalued neighborhoods (Boydell, Trainor, & Pierri, 1989;Dear, 1977;Farber, 1986;Hargreaves, Callanan, & Maskell, 1998;Wagner & Mitchell, 1980). However, Gabriel and Wolch (1984) provide a contrary finding.…”