Exploring the Intersection of Mental Health & Gentrification in Latino Communities in Chicago

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the intersection of mental health & gentrification in Latino Communities in Chicago. Gentrification is a national housing crisis. In Chicago, the LatinX community has been plagued by gentrification with subprime loans, lack of housing, traffic congestion, and public-sector policies. For this research, I utilized Map Screening in addition to a literature review to search LatinX community housing by zip codes in Chicago such as Pilsen, Little Village, Humboldt Park, Albany Park, and Logan Square to display latino population and other information about the communities from 1990’s to 2020 like housing prices, education, jobs, etc. Based on policy, the current study focused on the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act, which encourages counties to incorporate affordable housing within their housing stock sufficient to meet the needs of their county or community. This policy does speak to mental health when it comes to eviction and worrying about where to live since some residents have to leave behind their jobs, community resources like grocery stores and community centers, and also their children’s education. The impact of gentrification causes most adolescents to stress, anxiety, and leads them to depression during and after their evictions. A recommendation that’ll help improve this policy is by monitoring existing housing quality, providing incentives to owners of low-cost housing rentals, and developing a strategy and plans to leverage publicly owned land to address housing challenges.