Precarity, Poverty, and Predatory Lending: Post-Flood Survival in Colonias of the Rio Grande Valley
Open AccessInformal housing settlements along the US-Mexico border, known as colonias, developed in the latter half of the 20th century and are characterized by poverty, a lack of infrastructure, and spatial marginalization. The marginalization of these communities is multifaceted: these vulnerabilities come from socioeconomic poverty, racial and spatial stigma, lack of infrastructure and enforcement, and environmental hazards. The result is a layered vulnerability that compounds a lack of access to traditional financial institutions and an increased risk of flooding. Given this multilayered vulnerability, how do colonia residents financially cope with environmental hazards such as flooding? My research explores the nexus between flooding, economic precarity, informal and predatory lending, community-institution relationships, and survival in the Rio Grande Valley. This thesis uses a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative data gained through focus groups and interviews with quantitative spatial data pertaining to housing finance, poverty, and colonias.
- All rights reserved
Notice to Authors
If you are the author of this work and you have any questions about the information on this page, please use the Contact form to get in touch with us.