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Draining or gaining? The social networks of public housing movers in Boston

Delft University of Technology, acurley22{at}gmail.com

The social networks of low-income residents have been simultaneously described as supportive, strained, localized, and limited in providing access to necessary resources and information. Using a longitudinal qualitative approach, this study investigated the social networks of low-income women in one US high-poverty public housing project. Existing sociological frameworks for studying networks did not fully capture the women's social ties, particularly their "draining" ties. As the women were relocated as part of a mixed-income housing initiative targeting their neighborhood, a changing flow of resources and stress passed through social ties. A change in neighborhood prompted changes in low-income people's social networks far different than expected. Findings also raise questions about the importance of weak or bridging ties in linking low-income women with mobility opportunities.

Key Words: concentrated poverty • draining • housing mobility • leverage • relocation • social networks • support

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 26, No. 2-3, 227-247 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0265407509106716


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