Most single-parent households with children are headed by women (77% in 2000), though the proportion of single-parent families headed by men has increased during the past 10 years from 18 to 23% (Population Reference Bureau, 2001, November). Female-headed households accounted for 53% of all persons in poverty in 1999 (Economic Policy Institute, 2003). This has been termed the “feminization” of poverty. In 2001, more than a third of female-headed households (37.8 %) in Tennessee fell below the poverty level, and almost half (49.3%) fell below 125% of poverty (Proctor, 2002). Two national statistics help explain this phenomenon:
Only 31% of single mothers in 1997 received some form of child support payment from the father, showing no improvement, this is the same percentage as in 1976. (Folbre & Heintz, 2000).
Women are much more likely to earn lower wages than men. In 2000, 31% of women earned poverty-level wages or less, compared to 20% of men (Mishel et al., 2003).
On page one hundred of the 2005-2010 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development for the City of Knoxville, the committee determined there is a need for transitional housing with supportive services for up to 10 families (30 beds).
On page ninety nine of the report, transitional housing had the third highest priority score out of seventeen items listed, behind only to mental health care and permanent supportive housing.
In the Knox County Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan, the housing market analysis revealed the following as one of its key findings: Demographic data suggests a growing demand for rental units, while supply- side data indicates that developers continue to concentrate on single-family detached homes. The Restoration House exists to aid in bridging the gap between emergency shelters and permanent housing through the provision of a supportive transitional housing environment brought about by rehabilitated rental apartment units.
Page 34 of the county’s consolidated plan states:
The number of single-parent families increased in Knoxville and unincorporated Knox County by about 1,250 families each. Knoxville continues to have a greater share of single-parent families than the rest of the county: 7,312 to 4,851, respectively. The single parent family now accounts for 7.7% of the overall county population, an increase from 6.7% in 1990.
Single-parent households will likely increase the demand for lower-priced housing. These single earner households cannot afford the same type of housing as a household with two wage earners. They will also be in greater danger of losing their housing in case of job loss or medical emergency. Single parent households will also want access to amenities and services, especially day care, and may therefore be hesitant to move to the more rural areas of the county.
On page 149 of the strategic plan KCCD lists its number one priority as expanding and preserving affordable rental housing opportunities. Third on its list of other strategies is to move low-income persons to self-sufficiency (called an anti-poverty strategy in the regulations). These are two of the main components that completion of the Pine Bluff project will allow The Restoration House to accomplish with low-income single mother families.
Conclusively, The Restoration House seeks for single mothers and their children to discover wholeness while learning to be financially self-sufficient with the goal of owning her own home. Current research indicates that homeownership is a significant factor in the success of the family, especially in consideration of the positive effect on children, and subsequently future generations.
The Low Income Investment Fund sponsored the June 2005 Report to the Community. In regards to the correlation between homeownership for low-income families and overall development of the children of low-income families the reports states;
For poor children, homeownership is associated with larger increased educational attainment, earnings and welfare independence than for children in higher-income families. In the most sophisticated research model to date, Newman and Harkness (2002) examined children ages 11 to 15 of both lower-and higher income homeowners and renters. Using Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) data, they tracked seven outcomes and, with robust control measures, found that homeownership increases educational attainment, raises earnings and reduces future welfare use, as compared to children of low income renters. Using less strict methodological controls, they also found that, on average, children of homeowners tended to have incomes $2,500, or 24 percent, higher; a 20 percent higher likelihood of high-school graduation; a 62 percent higher likelihood of attending college; 33 percent less likelihood of teenage pregnancy; and 40 percent less likelihood of idleness at age 20 (Newman and Harkness 2002). These findings confirm earlier work by Boehm and Schlottmann (2002), which developed a methodology to understand wealth generated by housing and non-housing sources and compare wealth accumulation of low income and high income owners to renters. The authors found that children in low income home-owning families not only have a higher propensity to be future homeowners themselves, but ownership happens earlier than for children from families who rent. Haurin, Parcel and Haurin (2002) found that homeownership reduces behavioral problems, increases cognitive abilities and increases the quality of home environments. Other studies also found improved educational outcomes for children of low income homeowners. Previous research further supports the notion that homeownership has a positive association with the probability of high school graduation and increased cognitive performance.
According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University (2001), “22 percent of all married households with children are renters and 57 percent of other household types with children are renters. Quickening this groups’ transition from renting to owning would expose their children to a better home environment and to homeownership for a longer period.” 
The
U.S. Census Bureau says that only 51% of single mother households own homes. The only group with a lower percentage is single males without children.
Data taken from the US. Census Bureau
The Joint Center Data Bank found that “most white single mothers (70%) as well as most black single mothers (88%) could not afford modestly priced homes in their areas.”
In researching the Knoxville community, and interviewing local organizations who currently work with women and their children, we discovered that one of the greatest, unmet needs in the lives of these families is ‘supportive’ transitional housing.