Social Work Influences a Housing Movement: An Examination of Social Workers' Role in Housing Justice in the United States 1900-1960

Problem and Background:

This study delves into the unique role of social work in shaping housing as a field of study and policy intervention in the United States. It builds on Jeanne Lowe's (1971) critical question about social work's reduced involvement in housing issues, and traces how the profession established housing as a core concern through theoretical frameworks and advocacy efforts between 1900-1960. Lowe's article in the Social Service Review, 'Housing and Urban Change: Where Does Social Work Fit In?', reminds us of the deep connection between the housing movement and the social work profession at its inception. While contemporary housing scholarship is largely found in sociology, urban studies, and economics, this paper highlights that social work was the pioneer in developing key conceptual approaches to understanding housing for marginalized populations in the United States.

Methods:

The study analyzes primary documents from the National Conference of Charities and Correction (1874-1917) and its successor organizations through 1956, housed at the University of Michigan Library. Using housing-related keywords to identify relevant materials in conference proceedings and tables of contents, the research supplements these findings with archival data from the Social Service Review, HathiTrust, and Social Welfare Archives. This methodological approach reveals how social workers systematically framed housing issues during the profession's formative years.

Findings:

The early 20th century witnessed a remarkable transformation as social workers took the lead in reframing housing as a structural issue intricately linked to industrialization, urbanization, and racial inequity. They were the pioneers of a housing movement within social work, advocating for tenement reforms, public housing, tenant protections, and health-based housing standards. They pioneered three key analytical frameworks: (1) spatial analyses connecting housing quality to neighborhood conditions and urban development patterns; (2) structural critiques examining how industrialization and capitalism produced housing inequalities; and (3) intersectional approaches linking housing access to race, health outcomes, and economic mobility.

This housing movement cadre also critiqued market-driven housing failures and discriminatory practices, embedding housing within broader social welfare agendas. The full study details the key actors who established housing as both a professional domain and a policy priority, laying the groundwork for contemporary housing justice frameworks.

Implications:

These historical insights carry important implications for contemporary practice. They underscore the transformative potential of social work's engagement with housing. The profession must reclaim its historical leadership role in housing justice by developing updated theoretical frameworks that address current housing challenges. The profession's early successes demonstrate the transformative potential when social workers engage housing as both a scholarly discipline and an arena for structural change.