Planet Money Can transforming neighborhoods help kids escape poverty?
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Jan 28, 2026 
Raj Chetty, economist who studies poverty and mobility, discusses HOPE VI and large-scale research on neighborhoods. The conversation covers how transforming housing and mixing incomes changed social connections. They explore why nearby affluence and cross-class ties matter for children's long-term outcomes. Policy implications beyond housing are also considered.
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Watching A Tower Come Down
- Wycena watched a 14-story public housing tower get demolished and remembered the blasts and smoke.
- The demolition marked a dramatic moment in the neighborhood's physical transformation under HOPE VI.
Moving Into A New Home Felt Like Relief
- Wycena moved from old Richard Allen Homes into a new HOPE VI-funded unit and described fresh air and control over heat.
- She said the new space felt like peace and gave her personal pride and comfort.
Big Lifelong Gains For Kids In Revitalized Sites
- Raj Chetty's team tracked over a million families and found kids who grew up in revitalized HOPE VI sites earned about 50% more by age 30.
- The gains included higher college attendance and lower incarceration for boys from those sites.