» VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM
91
ARIZONA
Foreclosure Distress Impacts Political Views in Phoenix
New research from Arizona State University (ASU) reports
that the foreclosure crisis in the metro area of Phoenix, Arizona,
may have caused a shift in the population's political views.
Arizona Central News released an article discussing the soon-
to-be-released research study titled, "Housing Distress Political
Feedback Loop"—and reports that as the housing crash affected
demographics and crime, the author wanted to find out if it also
affected politics.
e research delves into foreclosures, voter turnout, and
changes in the political party vote margin by neighborhood and
demographic groups in the metro area of Phoenix.
"Voters in neighborhoods hardest hit by foreclosures were
mad and often scared about their situation," said the author of
the study and ASU Associate Professor with the School of Geo-
graphical Sciences and Urban Planning Deirdre Pfeiffer.
erefore, this emotional distress may have an impact on
which political parties the majority of the metro area population
votes for.
According to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Report by Stanford
School of Law, in the fall of 2010, in every 11 outstanding residen-
tial mortgage loans in the U.S. was at least one payment past due,
a warning of potential foreclosure. In addition, distressed sales ac-
counted for the majority of home sales in cities around the coun-
try—and one of those major cities included Phoenix, Arizona.
Although Pfeiffer's research hasn't been published yet, re-
searchers are already providing positive feedback to the study.
"Deirdre's research is fascinating," said Director of the Master
of Real Estate Development Program at ASU, Mark Stapp.
According to Stapp, researchers are still learning just how
profound of an impact the foreclosure crisis had on people.
