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Impacts: Households experiencing a severe lack of income and those <br />unemployed typically must accept housing in the lowest income census <br />tracts or rely on public assistance and public and assisted housing <br />wherever it is available. Housing tends to be segregated by income class <br />and sometimes by race or ethnicity, where the housing stock is most likely <br />in poor condition, there are higher reported incidents of criminal activity, <br />and opportunities for improving a person's quality of life are low. Children <br />from these households grow up in an environment that sometimes dooms <br />them to replicate their community's living standards, continuing the cycle <br />of poverty for generations to come. Focus group participants voiced a <br />perception that certain areas of the City are home to a disproportionate <br />number of low- income persons, living in substandard and crime ridden <br />multifamily housing developments. Participants indicated that the <br />concentration of poverty is not only a concern with regard to social equity <br />and the plight of renters, but poverty is also having a significant impact on <br />the condition and quality of single family housing in the neighborhoods <br />where there are high concentrations of home owners. In areas where a <br />majority of homeowners cannot afford routine maintenance, poor housing <br />conditions may quickly become the prevalent state of affairs. Lack of job <br />opportunities and lack of sufficient income to afford decent housing were <br />cited as concerns. Both crime and perception of crime were discussed as <br />critical issues that are hindering some residents from living in various <br />areas of San Marcos. <br />Remedial Actions: The City and Chamber of Commerce should continue <br />to work on expanding job opportunities through the recruitment of <br />corporations, the provision of incentives for local corporations seeking <br />expansion opportunities, assistance with the preparation of small business <br />loan applications, and other activities whose aim is to reduce <br />unemployment and expand the base of higher income jobs. A particular <br />emphasis should be to recruit jobs that best mirror the job skills and <br />101 <br />