Neighborhood Tenure, Donated Social Support, and Participation in Low- and Moderate-Income Communities
Understanding what facilitates participation in neighborhood civic life is important for improving participatory interventions, and ultimately improving neighborhoods. The longer someone lives in a neighborhood, the more likely they are to participate in their neighborhood by organizing with neighbors, volunteering, or taking on a leadership role in a neighborhood organization. At the same time, the longer someone lives in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhood, the more social ties they develop, which may increase social obligations. The present study examines whether helping friends and family (i.e., donated social support) is a barrier to neighborhood participation. Data come from the Anne E. Casey Foundation's longitudinal Making Connections survey of low- and moderate-income communities. Providing more donated social support is associated with more neighborhood participation, controlling for tenure. Results suggest that efforts aimed at increasing household stability may facilitate neighborhood participation.