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Date Available
6-22-2026
Year of Publication
2026
Document Type
Graduate Capstone Project
Degree Name
Master of Public Financial Management
College
Graduate School
Department/School/Program
Public Administration
Faculty
Douglas Appler
Committee Member
Rhonda Trautman
Faculty
Emily Bergeron
Abstract
This paper examines federal affordable housing policy from the early twentieth century to the present, focusing on the City of Paterson, New Jersey. In presenting an overview of policy and decision-making in Paterson, this paper explores how federal policy has aided urban communities that lacked the opportunities afforded to suburban municipalities through FHA mortgage underwriting and single-family homeownership programs, also considering how New Jersey State housing policy has affected the city. Utilizing a case-study methodology and employing extensive archival research, this project examines how federal housing policy structured differential access to homeownership and rental housing in Paterson, and how these distinctions contributed to or complicated the city's demographic transformation in the World War II era. From the inception of federal housing policy, as seen in the establishment of the Federal Housing Administration, Paterson's local government and housing authority chose to offer rental housing to its residents in need of housing assistance. This contributed to White flight into New Jersey's segregated suburbs, which greatly expanded single-family homeownership in the post-war era. In later decades, Paterson followed the federal philosophy that encouraged demolishing large housing projects in favor of smaller, often mixed-income projects, and using voucher programs to move low-income residents into the private rental market. While these changes have, in fact, led to limited homeownership opportunities for low-income residents, Paterson still lacks the overall number of affordable housing units needed, with development hindered by the condition of the city’s available housing stock. As one of New Jersey's largest municipalities, Paterson should engage community and nonprofit leaders to evaluate existing housing programs, assess the potential to increase the overall number of housing units citywide, and consider zoning and permitting changes to encourage affordable housing development.
Recommended Citation
Beggs, Jennifer L., "Federal Housing Policy Influences and Impacts on Urban Municipalities as Seen in the City of Paterson, New Jersey" (2026). MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects. 481.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/mpampp_etds/481
