A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Urban inequality, the housing crisis and deteriorating water access in US cities
The housing unafordability and cost-of-living crisis is afecting millions of people in US cities, yet the implications for urban dwellers’ well-being and social reproduction remain less clear. This Article presents a longitudinal analysis of household access to running water—a vital component of social infrastructure—in the 50 largest US cities since 1970. The results indicate that water access has worsened in an increasing number and typology of US cities since the 2008 global fnancial crash, disproportionately afecting households of color in 12 of the 15 largest cities. We provide evidence to suggest that a ‘reproductive squeeze’—systemic, compounding pressures on households’ capacity to reproduce themselves on a daily and societal basis— is forcing urban households into more precarious living arrangements, including housing without running water. We analyze the case study of Portland (Oregon) to illustrate the racialized nature of the reproductive squeeze under a housing crisis. Our insights reveal that plumbing poverty—a lack of household running water—is expanding in scope and severity to a broader array of US cities, raising doubts about equitable progress towards Sustainable Development Goals for clean water and sanitation for all (SDG 6) and sustainable cities (SDG 11) in an increasingly urbanized United States.
Urban inequality, the housing crisis and deteriorating water access in US cities
The housing unafordability and cost-of-living crisis is afecting millions of people in US cities, yet the implications for urban dwellers’ well-being and social reproduction remain less clear. This Article presents a longitudinal analysis of household access to running water—a vital component of social infrastructure—in the 50 largest US cities since 1970. The results indicate that water access has worsened in an increasing number and typology of US cities since the 2008 global fnancial crash, disproportionately afecting households of color in 12 of the 15 largest cities. We provide evidence to suggest that a ‘reproductive squeeze’—systemic, compounding pressures on households’ capacity to reproduce themselves on a daily and societal basis— is forcing urban households into more precarious living arrangements, including housing without running water. We analyze the case study of Portland (Oregon) to illustrate the racialized nature of the reproductive squeeze under a housing crisis. Our insights reveal that plumbing poverty—a lack of household running water—is expanding in scope and severity to a broader array of US cities, raising doubts about equitable progress towards Sustainable Development Goals for clean water and sanitation for all (SDG 6) and sustainable cities (SDG 11) in an increasingly urbanized United States.
Urban inequality, the housing crisis and deteriorating water access in US cities
Meehan, Katie (author) / Jurjevich, Jason R. (author) / Everitt, Lucy (author) / Chun, Nicholas M.J.W. (author) / Sherrill, Justin (author)
2025-01-01
Meehan , K , Jurjevich , J R , Everitt , L , Chun , N M J W & Sherrill , J 2025 , ' Urban inequality, the housing crisis and deteriorating water access in US cities ' , Nature Cities , vol. 2 , no. 1 , https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-024-00180-z , pp. 93-103 .
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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