Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
As expected from the analysis of spatial dependence in the OLS residuals, the
spatial lag terms for gay and lesbian household locations in the Midwest are not
significant. However, the lag terms for the national gay male equation and the
Northeast and West lesbian equations are also insignificant, suggesting that the
spatial processes exhibited in these cases are not strong. The spatial error (lambda)
terms included in the household share equations are significant in all cases.
In summary, the results in Table
19.3
show some interesting differences between
lesbian and gay male partnered households. Because lesbian households are four
times more likely to have children, and also average 20 % lower household income
than those of gay men [Kyei and Madden (
2012
)], children and income are likely
explanations for these gender differences in the central city locations of gay
partnered households. The gender differences in spatial concentration among
one-sex partnerships may also arise from gender differences in the use of space
for political organization and activism as claimed by Lauria and Knopp (
1985
).
19.1.4 “Effects” of Gay Concentration on Economic Development
of Neighborhoods
Planners and geographers have suggested that concentrations of gay households in a
neighborhood lead to urban revitalization (Forsyth
2001
; Lauria and Knopp
1985
).
We consider how greater concentrations of gays in a neighborhood are related to the
subsequent course of economic development by examining how a census tract's
population and relative income in 2009 is related to its 2000 shares of the city's gay
male and lesbian households, given its population and relative income in 2000.
Collins (
2004
) argues that young urban professionals move into gay enclaves,
leading to new construction and growth in, and change in the composition of, the
neighborhood population. Florida and Mellander's (
2010
) study of housing prices
in 331 metropolitan areas shows that gays and lesbians are associated with higher
average housing prices in metropolitan areas. They argue that this is due both to the
increase in amenities in the region when gays (and bohemians) migrate there and to
a tolerance premium. Christafore and Leguizamon (
2012
) extend the Florida and
Mellander study by looking at housing prices across neighborhoods in Columbus,
Ohio, controlling for tolerance (using voting records on the Defense of Marriage
Act in Ohio) and gay presence. They find a housing premium in “tolerant” areas and
a penalty in “non-tolerant” areas.
We find support for the hypotheses that increasing representations of gay men in
a census tract lead to increases in population for central cities nationally and in the
Northeast, and to increases in household income nationally and in all regions.
Increasing representations of lesbian households are associated with household
income growth in the Northeast, but are not associated with population growth in
any region. Because households residing in the neighborhood must be capable of
