ABSTRACT
In and of itself, residential segregation is not a problem. Some racial, ethnic and religious groups voluntarily or temporarily segregate themselves in order to build niche ethnic enclave economies or to provide familiar culture to fellow immigrants in a foreign country. Indeed, the wealthy in the United States increasingly segregate themselves in exclusive suburban and gated communities and they do not see their segregation as a problem. Older adults regularly segregate themselves into senior communities and their segregation is not usually seen as problematic. Residential segregation becomes a problem when it is rooted in inequality and racial and ethnic prejudice. Residential segregation that is rooted in inequality and racial/ethnic prejudice builds structural barriers that concentrate poverty and limits residents’ social and economic opportunities.
