Racism still evident in home ownership statistics

Rebecca Castell

Contributor

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Home ownership has increased to an all-time high in the U.S. Unfortunately, the increase has not been across the racial board. While easy credit and government assistance has made it possible for many white, middle-class families to purchase the American dream, minorities including black and Latino families have been left out. This trend began after World War II and persists today.

This latent type of racial discrimination is apparent when you look at the numbers. The Associate Press reports that

Three-fourths of white households owned their homes in 2005, compared with 46 percent of black households and 48 percent of Hispanic households.

To further add to the disparity, minorities often run into problems with predatory lending. Lenders will often subject minority borrowers to sub-prime rates on mortgages and excessive fees, leading to a higher foreclosure rate for minorities. This further perpetuates the imbalance of home ownership in the U.S.

Racial discrimination is actionable in Ohio. If you feel that you have been subject to discriminatory treatment by a lender based on your race, contact an attorney to evaluate your rights and address the problem.