The Case for Preserving Targeted Policy Approaches to Ease the Employment Difficulties of Minority Youth

This chapter explains that increased racial discrimination in hiring in the suburbs minority youth’s employment difficulties and may be a reason why space might matter in metropolitan labor markets. A key structural factor that could influence when race might matter in labor markets is the level and presence of the black population in a particular area, be it in the central city or suburb. In policy circles, there is considerable debate concerning the merits of moving towards more universal approaches to social policy and away from targeted approaches to address social problems, particularly those regarding race. Relevant spatial policies must be adopted to increase the physical accessibility of jobs for youth, particularly those in the central cities. Suburban dispersal policies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Moving to Opportunity Program, may be helpful in mitigating the negative influences of space on employment.