Participation in a residential mobility program from the client's perspective: Findings from Gautreaux Two

In 2002, the Gautreaux Two housing mobility program provided low-income families living in Chicago public housing with the opportunity to move to more affluent, less racially isolated communities. This article presents findings on their complex search and moving process. Only about one-third of enrolled families actually moved through the program ("leased-up"). In-depth interviews with a randomly chosen sample of 71 families and an additional 20 "likely mover" families showed that movers fell into four groups distinguished by personal characteristics that made it easier for them to move or by residence on Chicago's North Side. Nonmovers faced a variety of obstacles, both external (a tight rental market, discrimination, and bureaucratic delays) and internal (limited experience and program comprehension, large household size, and health problems). Also, some nonmovers were too busy with work or school to engage in what proved to be an onerous process of identifying a suitable unit and moving.