Browse Exhibits (1 total)

Where you live makes all the difference, but that difference has a history. The current circumstances of Richmond’s neighborhoods have roots in state and federal policies that have had lasting effects on concentrations of poverty and growth, lending patterns, homeownership, and educational outcomes for children. Neighborhoods that received a D grade in the 1950s now have a high concentration of federal housing subsidies and high levels of poverty. Children in these same neighborhoods score lower on SOL tests than their peers in neighborhoods with low poverty rates. During the foreclosure crisis, these neighborhoods featured high rates of default. We can use historic and current maps and data to better understand the connection between public policy and economic development in the Richmond region.

Mapping RVA: Where You Live Makes All the Difference is on display at the Library of Virginia from June 2 through August 23, 2014. It features contemporary maps by H.O.M.E. and historic maps from the LVA Collections.