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Closing The Gap: Housing Discrimination In The United States

An aerial view of homes under construction at a housing development  in Petaluma, California. According to a report by the U.S.  Commerce Department, new home sales surged 17 percent higher in November with a seasonally adjusted annual 657,000 rate.
An aerial view of homes under construction at a housing development in Petaluma, California. According to a report by the U.S. Commerce Department, new home sales surged 17 percent higher in November with a seasonally adjusted annual 657,000 rate.

The racial wealth gap in the United States is large, and it isn’t getting any smaller.

In 2019, the average wealth of Black families was less than 10 percent compared to the average white family. Discrimination in housing that has either barred Black Americans from homeownership entirely or increased property taxes are some of the reasons this wealth gap persists.

Redlining and other discriminatory housing practices have contributed to the fact that 75 percent of white households own their homes compared to just 44 percent of Black households.

That divide has remained largely unchanged since the beginning of the 20th century. What impact has racism in the housing market had on families of color in America. And what can be done to close the gap?

Copyright 2021 WAMU 88.5. To see more, visit WAMU 88.5.

Haili Blassingame

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