This report, a special supplement to "Now is the Time," is part of an ongoing analysis of U.S. cities and their economic health. It focuses on one vital economic region, the Northeast. Data from a number of sources reveal some key findings about the nine states of this economic region. Most cities in the Northeast are doing quite well,…

The gains of economic recovery have been unevenly distributed to benefit the rich much more than the poor. According to Census Bureau data, poverty, especially among children, is significantly higher than five years ago. Poverty has worsened despite decreased unemployment because of widening gaps between rich and poor. Even modest changes in…

A statistical profile of the working poor in Chicago (Illinois) and the proceedings of the Working Poor Policy Forum held to discuss the findings of the profile are presented. In America it is supposed to be impossible to work and remain chronically poor, but in fact this is not the case. There are many ways to define the income working families…

This report takes an in-depth look at the evidence of family well-being since the 1996 federal welfare legislation drawing on new national survey data, a review of studies by states and research institutions, and a compilation of findings from informal community-based monitoring projects. Disturbing findings include: Only a small fraction of…

This report provides objective information about the relationship of poverty, welfare, and homelessness to California's regional economy and about the design of programs that help people in poverty build working lives. California does not have enough jobs for its workforce, and welfare caseloads are consequently determined by the economy. The…

This publication is first in a series of annual updates of statistical information about young children and their families living in poverty in the United States. It builds on the report "Five Million Children: A Statistical Profile of Our Poorest Young Citizens," and incorporates information from the 1990 March Supplement to the Census…

In response to the increasing numbers of homeless families, Homes for the Homeless surveyed families in emergency shelters in Newark (New Jersey) to gain some insights into the characteristics and circumstances of urban homeless families. Newark was chosen because it is a large urban center with a high concentration of welfare recipients that is…

Children are among the poorest of Maine's residents. Nearly 1 in 5 children under the age of 18, 19.3%, lived in families below the federal poverty line in the early 1990s. Most of these poor children lived in working families. The working poor are often missing from policy debates, but their numbers are likely to increase with welfare reform…

This book comprises 19 essays that attempt to tell the truth about urban poverty, social dislocation, and changes in American family life. They show that the rise in the percentage of children living in poverty is due to an increasing number of female-headed households and a decline in the earnings of young men. The following papers are included:…

Presentations of panelists at one in a series of monthly seminars on Family Centered Social Policy are summarized. The first panelist, Maria E. Enchautegui, began with a statistical overview of Latino poverty and then highlighted data for subgroups. Mirien Uriarte presented findings from her study on the experiences of Latinas in the Massachusetts…

Reviews trends in Black economic progress and compares data for Black and White families. Describes how structural changes in families and income inequalities are symptoms of a growing Black underclass. Calls for policies to reduce joblessness among underclass men and increase child support by absentee fathers. (MW)

William Julius Wilson's "The Truly Disadvantaged" blames the rise in the Black urban underclass on the rapid, systemic, and structural changes in the economy in the 1970s, which left Black unemployment at a spectacularly high rate. His insights should be acknowledged and his recommendations heeded. (BJV)