ABSTRACT
Since the Housing Act of 1949, Congress has periodically reaffirmed the national goal of providing a ‘decent home and suitable living environment for every American family’. The most recent expression of this concern was embodied in the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. This chapter explores the extent to which this goal has been met, discusses the role of neighborhoods and schools in children’s lives, and concludes with an assessment of the extent to which federal housing policies are successful in meeting the needs of families with children.
