What about Rural Blight? Housing and Neighborhood Conditions in Southeastern Small Towns

Abstract

Though the concept of blight clarifies housing and neighborhood changes in rural and small towns experiencing disinvestment and decline, the term is rarely examined outside of urban discourse. This study explores the extent of rural blight and its relationship to community characteristics using survey results from elected officials and staff members of small towns in one southeastern state. We examine the historical background of blight, including its connections to urban renewal, racial bias and stereotyping, and the broken windows theory. Among the small towns in the study, economic blight, particularly dilapidated housing, was prevalent. Social blight, which includes behaviors that are thought to be threatening or criminal in nature, was less common but correlated moderately with economic forms of blight. While social disorganization and collective efficacy theories link a range of demographic characteristics to physical and social disorder, our findings pointed only to a significant relationship between communities with a higher portion of the population who are black and multiple forms of extensive blight. More research is needed to understand the relationship, both observed and perceived, between economic and social blight in rural small towns and how these issues may be remediated through local collective action.

Insights into Rural Stress: Using the Community Capitals Framework to Help Inform Rural Policies and Interventions

“…As a result, many residents believe that individuals who do not come from a similar type of community do not understand the problems facing rural populations [3]. Accordingly, the use of resources made available by outside entities to alleviate problems, such as inadequate health care [7], rural blight [8], and mental health awareness [9], is stigmatized by skepticism, distrust, and fear of being taken advantage of [4]. Trust is a critical component in gaining access to and influence in rural communities; however, in rural environments, trust and community acceptance can be difficult to gain [4].…”

Development and Validation of a Rural Stress Instrument

“…Health care services in rural areas are typically less advanced than their urban counterparts and are manned by fewer personnel covering a wider region ("About rural health," 2017; Brown, 1980;Clay, 2014;Dillman & Tremblay, 1977; "Leading causes of death in rural America," 2017). Moreover, economic blight in the context of inadequate housing conditions was found to be more prevalent in small rural communities (Skobba, Osinubi, & Tinsley, 2019). The dilapidated housing, vacant housing, and low housing values of these communities reflect the overarching well-being of their residents, "remediating these issues is particularly difficult for small towns, where scale, demand, and limited financial and human capital resources are barriers to maintaining and improving local housing conditions" (Skobba et al, 2019, p. 22).…”