Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality

Building inspectors have the power to shape housing inequality through their discretionary decisions. Sociologist Robin Bartrams' book "Stacked Decks" reveals surprising patterns in the judgment calls inspectors make when deciding whom to cite for building code violations. Inspectors largely recognize that they work within an unequal housing landscape that disadvantages poor people and people of color.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 19 August 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Though we rarely see them at work, building inspectors have the power to significantly shape our lives through their discretionary decisions. The building inspectors of Chicago are at the heart of sociologist Robin Bartrams analysis of how individuals impact—or attempt to impact—housing inequality. In Stacked Decks, she reveals surprising patterns in the judgment calls inspectors make when deciding whom to cite for building code violations. These predominantly white, male inspectors largely recognize that they work within an unequal housing landscape that systematically disadvantages poor people and people of color through redlining, property taxes, and city spending that favor wealthy neighborhoods.

Stacked Decks illustrates the uphill battle inspectors face when trying to change a housing system that works against those with the fewest resources.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226819068