Historical policies and practices such as redlining and exclusionary zoning that discriminate against marginalized communities have made it difficult for BIPOC to own homes and build wealth over time. In addition to this, decades of underbuilding homes and a lack of maintenance of pre-existing homes have led to a racial homeownership gap, which perpetuates the racial wealth gap.

Through interviews with six experts in the field of housing, we tackle and explore issues surrounding access to housing, issues in housing production, access to capital, and understanding the difference between wealth and income as it relates to accumulating capital and gaining homeownership. The cyclical nature of these issues continues to financially and socially oppress BIPOC.

With our findings, this paper offers specific recommendations on using housing and homeownership as means to close the racial wealth gap.

Resources

• Presentation to the California Senate Subcommittee on Government & Finance 

• New York Times: Short on Your Down Payment? California’s Surplus Can Help.

• Wall Street Journal: California Legislative Leader Wants to Spend $10 Billion to Help Families Buy Homes

• Cal Matters: California Legislators Want to Help You Buy a House with Down Payment, ‘Shared Equity’

For more information, please contact Adam Briones.