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Abstract
A major barrier to the location of group homes for the physically, mentally, and emotionally handicapped in American communities is the use of municipal zoning powers to block or complicate their location. Local officials respond negatively to group homes primarily because of strong local community resistance to their inclusion in residential neighborhoods. This paper is a review of the available (but not readily accessible) studies that investigate such questions as, “Do group homes decrease neighborhood property values?” and, “Are group home residents more violence-prone than other citizens?” It also includes reviews of some of the literature on community attitudes. This paper concludes with a set of strategies for helping increase the integration of group homes into residential neighborhoods.
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Notes on contributors
Marsha Ritzdorf
Marsha Ritzdorf is Assistant Professor of Community and Regional Planning at Iowa State University.