Annotative Bibliography

Of Colonias poverty

Julian Beltran

RWS 1301

10-27-17
 Annotative Bibliography
What has UTEP done to help colonias?
How have colonias been affected by immigration over time?
How has Colonias Poverty changed over time?
Anderson, Joan B. "The US-Mexico Border: A Half Century of Change." The Social Science
Journal 40, no. 4 (2003): 535-54.

According to Joan B Anderson from 1950-2000 the US population has grown more
rapidly in the border regions than in the nation as a whole. The rapid population growth
had both negative and positive effects on life on the border. In 1950 the population of
those who lived on the US Mexican border was 2.4 million and quickly rose to 12.2
million in the year of 2000. During the 50 years the population grew by 416%. There are
charts and graphs that give you a visual representation of how the population grew very
rapidly.

Davies, Christopher S. and Robert K. Holz. "Settlement Evolution of colonias Along the US-
Mexico Border: The Case of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas." Habitat
International 16, no. 4 (1992): 119-42.

According to the authors colonias origin has direct correlation to where poverty is most
desperate. People inhabit colonias because inequalities of wealth and well-being. These
people resort to places that are rural, where the land is cheap and lacks both legal
authority and primary services and facilities. There are many factors that contribute to
how colonias were made and continue to grow. The article talks about how the rapid
population growth along with geographic location played a factor in the formation of
colonias. The article explains the evolution of colonias, how the price of land impacted
the growth of colonias and how the governments neglect played a huge role as well.

Durst, Noah J. and Peter M. Ward. "Measuring Self-Help Home Improvements in Texas
Colonias: A Ten Year snapshotstudy." Urban Studies 51, no. 10 (2014): 2143-59.

The author claims that there were significant improvements and investments in the
colonias over a 10-year period during a survey they conducted. This study is a follow up
on previous survey conducted by the Urban Studies for a major household in 2002. The
survey evaluated and analyzed the effects of title regularization intervention amongst
home-owners with low incomes, who lived in colonias in Starr County, Texas. In 2011
the research team returned in order to observe and analyze the extent in which the
housing improved. They looked at overcrowding, access to home amenities, home
improvements and their method of financing. They observed an average of almost $9,000
of investments and improvements in 10 years. It was mainly financed with saving and
income however there was an increasing trend of using loans as a source of financing.

Daniel Perez. UTEP researchers developing water filter to help colonias Borderzine (June 4,
2015). http://borderzine.com/2015/06/utep-researchers-developing-water-filter-to-help-
colonias/
 The author claims that desire, destiny and determination played a role in the efforts that
UTEP students made when they designed and constructed a demonstration rain water
harvesting system that ultimately turned out to be a success. The rain water harvesting
system was made for an elderly couple who reside in a Colonia just outside of Presidio,
Texas. Eight UTEP students under the supervision of Universitys Center for
Environmental Resource Management made the four-hour trip in order to install the new
system that was built to collect an astonishing 2,200 gallons of water. The System was a
success; rain showers put it to the test and the system and it collected 370 gallons of rain
water. There was minor leakage at a joint but the home owners were able to easily repair
it.

Ward, Peter M. Colonias and Public Policy in Texas and Mexico: Urbanization by
StealthUniversity of Texas Press, 2010.

The author claims Colonias are underprivileged on both sides of the U.S. Mexican
border, but particularly so in Texas. Rapid population growth and low family incomes in
colonias and in Texas as a whole contribute to colonias being penurious. From 190O to
1990 the population of the border states in Mexico rose from 1,400,872 to 13,246,991. In
that same time the population across the U.S. borders grew from 4.85 million to 52
million. Rapid population growth makes housing conditions problematic. In all of the
Texas counties 35-45 percent of residents have an income that is lower than the poverty
level. Close to 40 percent of colonias residents work for minimum wage or less.

Donelson, Angela J. and Adrian X. Esparza. The Colonias Reader: Economy, Housing and
Public Health in US-Mexico Border ColoniasUniversity of Arizona Press, 2016.

Leach, Charles T., Felix C. Koo, Susan G. Hilsenbeck, and Hal B. Jenson. "The Epidemiology of
Viral Hepatitis in Children in South Texas: Increased Prevalence of Hepatitis A Along
the Texas-Mexico Border." The Journal of Infectious Diseases 180, no. 2 (1999): 509-13.

The authors claims that Hepatitis A is a major public health problem, especially in
countries with poor sanitation.. The issue is that there is a higher number of children
with hepatitis A living in the colonias compared to San Antonio and urban border
communities. A study was done in 1994; 285 children from the ages 6 months to 13
years were tested for hepatitis A. The authors wrote this article in order to show how
those who live in colonias are more likely to have hepatitis A than those living in Urban
areas or big cities.